Lumpectomy/rads vs Uni MX for DCIS Grade 3 Comedo OVERWHELMED!!

I just noticed that a few ladies took my post on this thread in completely the wrong way! I was NEVER trying to "MX shame" anyone! I support everyone's right to choose which treatment is right for them. I am incensed that you took umbrage with me just making sure that everyone who reads this thread KNOWS that there is still a chance that you will be told you need radiation after having a MX AND people absolutely DO recur after having a MX as well, even if the chances go down some after this surgery. There are several women here who did exactly that and so I felt compelled to make sure everyone had all of the facts before making a choice. I would NEVER assume that my decision to have a LX was right for someone else so please know that this is not what my intent was. If MX is right for you then that is exactly what you should do. I have been here a couple of years and am always helpful to newbies and wanted to make sure that everyone knew the facts. That was all I was doing.

MizMimi, I am glad that you made your own choice on what to do, as hard as it was. Having any of these treatments is very hard but we always want to make sure you have all of the facts. I know that you did the best you could. You should not look back. It is hard enough to make the decision so never second guess yours!

As for the "miniscule" chance of recurrence of DCIS after BMX, tell that to this woman!

https://community.breastcancer.org/forum/68/topic/832617?page=1#post_4420597

It seems you (original poster) are quite worried about heart damage. Any chance you can seek treatment with another radiologist. My IBC was on the left side and I had some big qualms about RADS, but was able to find a radiation center nearby willing and able to do RADS in the prone position which alleviated my fears about heart damage to a large degree. You do have plenty of time to look for another radiologist, as RADS aren't generally started for several weeks after surgery.

And as my surgeon pointed out when I was trying to decide which surgery to have, if you hate your LX, decide you can't go thru w RADS or whatever you can always have a MX later (of course he'd be doing the surgery, not having a second surgery so I thought that was easy for him to say). But there is a certain amount of truth in that nugget.

My goodness MizMimi! So sorry to hear about your sister. I am sure you will make the best decision for yourself. Hugs!

Just found this blog and hoping to get enough info to make a good decision

I am 68, diagnosed in left breast with high grade DCIS. I was set to start radiation therapy and went for my post surgery Mamogram 5 weeks after lumpectomy . Now the find 2 more areas of suspicious calcifications, same breast, different quadrant Had biopsy, now having second lumpectomy I am being treated at a leading Breast Cancer Center. Still not understanding why they did not see this in original Mamogram and ultrasounds. Now thinking of DMX but concerned about the major surgery. I am very conflicted and quite stressed. Any input as to my decision will be helpful. Thank yo

SKR22 - My BS chased after extensive, widespread DCIS and MOST of it didn't show up on my mammogram or MRI. After two LX's that didn't get all the DCIS - I was told I needed a MX. There was a lot of factors that went into my decision to have a BMX (some physical, some emotional, some cosmetic). When it was all said and done, my BS said my choice for the bmx was agressive yet reasonable. I'm a week post op and so far, I have no second thoughts or regrets. One of the emotional factors for me was that I just didn't have the faith I needed in the MRI and mammography that my left breast was truly clear or that future imaging would catch a problem early enough. Turns out, my left was clear and so were the nodes on my right side. HUGE relief. However, I'm still glad I had both removed. As my surgeon said, this is a very personal decision and only you can make it. I just couldn't live with "chasing" after the unseen! Had either of my LX had clear margins, I probably would have felt better about the results. But here I am!

Mizmimi, I'm sorry about your sister. I'm glad you made a decision (LX), and it sucks you're now having to re-visit the decision considering your sister's diagnosis. I can tell you I am a couple of months out from BMX and I do not regret it at all. It is definitely major surgery, but once you get through that part it's over and you're on with your life. I am wishing you peace with your decisions, and remember my motto: this is not a choice between Disneyland or Six Flags; you're not going to be "happy" with your decision, you are just going to make the best decision for you.

I am in a position to speak about both decisions, because I made both decisions: first lumpectomy, done. Then with additional findings I chose BMX. What I have found on this site is some women want to push their decision on others in order to feel like they were "right" in their decision. There is no right and wrong. Each diagnosis is different, family history, medical history, bs choice, etc. Information is good; getting emphatic and using scare tactics is bad.

April485: you are actually arguing with me about my choice for BMX, and insisting that I become "aware" (afraid) of recurrence. My breast surgeon, at an NCI recognized comprehensive cancer center, has told me my chance of recurrence is less than one percent. As for your anecdotal evidence, I know someone who was in a terrible car accident and lived, even though she wasn't wearing her seatbelt; should I stop wearing a seatbelt? We can always find someone who had something happen to them that wasn't expected. It doesn't mean we should lead our lives afraid it will or won't happen to us, or make decisions based on anecdotal evidence. You don't know my diagnosis, my medical history, and even if you did you are not qualified to give me an opinion about my recurrence chances because you are not a doctor. What we should all be doing is supporting tough decisions, not arguing about them.