Newly diagnosed

(((Lmonelll))) so sorry you've had to join us…I am sure you will get lots of different responses to this question - each of us has unique risks and concerns and there is no one right answer. I am one of those women who opted for a BMX instead of radiation. I had a lumpectomy first and then did chemo while I met with 3 different radiation oncologists to discuss the risks and benefits. The RO's said radiation would only reduce my risk for local recurrence about 5% and would do nothing to prevent mets. I had "great margins", no skin or muscle involvement, no lymphovascular invasion, no extracapsular spread and when they removed the breasts there was no evidence of breast cancer in either breast. I had very dense breasts so mammograms did not find my original tumor - I found the lump just one month after my "normal" mammogram, so mamms would not be effective to screen for recurrence. If I get regional recurrence I will consider rads but for now I made the best choice I could with the information I had - good luck in your decision…(((Hugs))) Maureen

Lmonelli, I too was unsure which way go....Lumpectomy? Or Mastectomy? My DX being similar to yours. I met with a plastic surgeon to weigh out my options. In the end I decided that it wasn't necessary to have a double mastectomy. That the lumpectomy plus radiation would be best. I'm 2 weeks out of my surgery, and feel confident that I've made the absolute best decision. That is how you want to walk into this feeling. That it's the absolute best outcome for treating the cancer and for giving you peace of mind. I'm healing wonderfully and feeling great. I'm awaiting results from the oncotype dx test to determine whether chemo will be necessary. I will also start radiation soon. Good luck to you!

I had stage 1 ER/PR+ and I chose bilateral mastectomy.  I did not want to keep my breasts around knowing they are clearly very capable of growing cancer.  Also, my mammogram failed to see my lump...I found it a few months after a "clear" mammogram.  The lump was already 1 cm by then so it should have been seen on a mammogram.  I don't regret having a BMX.  It was the right thing for me personally.  It is a very personal choice and there is no one "right" answer.  Decide what is best for you.  Best of luck!

Hang in there Limonelli! Stick to what is best for you! Weigh out your pros and cons if you are still on the fence. If not, then tell your friend and husband that you've made up your mind and to drop it. If your medical team felt that getting a MX was too extreme then why give you the option. You have to remind yourself that your cancer is treatable and CURABLE. It was very surreal for me as well. I was probably the most stressed while trying to decide. But, once I made up my mind, I felt great about it. I also have stayed optimistic, with the attitude that this is just a "bump in the road". Yeah, it's one bell of a bump, but I can do this. And so can you. We are lucky....sounds crazy, but our situation could be so much worse. We have our whole lives ahead of us!

Limonelli,

This is my first post, but I wanted to share my understanding of what you are feeling right now, and offer up my experience to date. I was diagnosed 2 years ago with DCIS. Small, stage 0. I also found out I was BRCA2 positive. I am E+/P+ her- at least that was what it was before. I was given the same options you described. I also already had breast implants and had concerns about radiation as it is common for an implant to form capsular scar tissue, or migrate up the chest wall from radiation. Charming! It was overwhelming. I opted for a lumpectomy, no radiation and to "monitor". I had clean margins, no lymph node involvement.

Two years later I have a recurrence. I have a two small areas now, both under 1cm, but one is now invasive. I basically was given the same options - so I think this time I am going to do the DMX. I will still have TE's put in and will switch implants in a few months. I will lose a little skin on the affected breast - so BMX gives me the best outcome for getting symmetry. It's not about the vanity - but we do consider these things. I specifically asked my PS about working with radiated skin and he says it is always harder as the tissue damage complicates healing. He also said that the latest research from Sloan-Kettering shows that the actual complication rate for reconstruction on skin previously radiated is closer to 40%, not the 20% number that has been considered the norm.

So, to avoid the radiation, and to hopefully eliminate my risk from also having BRCA2, I am doing DMX this time. I don't regret making the lumpectomy choice tnor do I regret not radiating back then. Would it have changed anything? Who knows? I have BRCA2 - my odds are challenging even for my healthy breast. I hope to not keep going through this, especially as I will be doing an oopherectomy soon as well. I am still peri-menopausal - so that wi be challenging as I will be thrown into menopause and because of my E+/P+ status - I won't be able to take HRT. That is weighing on me too.

It's a challenging time, and my eyes do glaze over with all the stats etc. I have found these boards to be a resource and oasis of sanity as I try to navigate this course. I am so grateful for all who share and shed light for us all. We need each other.

I wish you clarity and peace. Whatever decision you make will be the right one.

I was diagnosed 5 days ago with IDC in my right breast. All we know so far is that there is no indication the cancer has spread beyond the right breast, the tumor is ER+/PR+, and the size & location of the tumor and the size of my breasts require a mastectomy. So many unanswered questions yet. Are any lymph nodes involved? Will radiation therapy be required? What are my reconstruction options? I have a wonderful provider network so I know all my questions will be answered as soon as they can be it's just the not knowing right now that is the hardest. My emotions are all over the board, the littlest thing will bring me to tears. My husband is amazing, he has been my rock. I know we will beat this, it's just a fight we never planned on. Thank you all for listening

In going back through these posts, I noticed one I missed.

Cindy-K, I had forgotten this, until reading your post, that I did the same thing you did. I thought I would choose a mastectomy until I started getting all the info I could find. I too asked my surgeon (who has 35 years of breast cancer surgery under her belt--she's seen it all) what she would choose if it was herself, her sister, her mother. She said she would recommend lumpectomy. She explained the same stats I was finding and loved my analogy of the tooth filling concept. She thinks it's important to preserve a body part whenever possible. The thing I further liked about her was that she went on to tell me that if she found any reason to do more than lumpectomy before or even during surgery, she would let me know.