Surgery date set - does this seem like a lot?

Leydi
Leydi Member Posts: 146
edited July 2016 in ILC (Invasive Lobular Carcinoma)

PET/CT scan came back clear except for where we already knew there was cancer (both breasts and in lymph nodes under left arm). BS now wants to move forward with surgery:

Bilateral mastectomy, axillary node dissection on left, sentinel node mapping and biopsy on right. . .and oh, let's go ahead and install the chemo port at the same time. At least I'm delaying reconstruction (currently thinking I won't reconstruct but keeping my options open at this point in time).

I agree with doing as much in a single surgery as we can but it just seems like a lot. They offered a surgery date in 6 days but I put it off for another week in order to make arrangements at work and home. Need a few extra days to mentally prepare as well!

Seems like many women report having several procedures spaced out. Better or worse to combine then into a single larger procedure with subsequent recovery?

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Comments

  • vbishop
    vbishop Member Posts: 616
    edited July 2016

    Others may say different, but...if it were me, I'd say "get 'er done".   One and done!  Over!  Finished.  Let's get it out and move on.

    Good luck!  And happy healing!


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  • BarredOwl
    BarredOwl Member Posts: 2,433
    edited July 2016

    Hi Leydi:

    I don't know about the port, but bilateral mastectomy (BMX) with bilateral sentinel node biopsies (SNB) and/or axillary dissection (when indicated in the appropriate case) are commonly done in a single procedure. I had BMX with SNBs in a single procedure (the radioactive tracer was injected in a simple outpatient procedure the previous afternoon).

    BarredOwl
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  • dtad
    dtad Member Posts: 2,323
    edited July 2016

    Honestly thats not really a lot of surgery in the bc world. You will do fine. The fact that you are not having reconstruction at this time makes it a much shorter and less complicated surgery. As far as the port placement, I would just make sure you definitely need chemo first. Good luck and keeps posted...

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  • SpecialK
    SpecialK Member Posts: 16,486
    edited July 2016

    I had my port installed at the time of BMX with bi-lat SNB and expander placement as we already knew I was Her2+ and would need chemo/Herceptin. My SNB was initially clear in the OR but later found to be cancerous so I required ALND five weeks later, so I can testify it is better to do it all at once if you can. I was fortunate that my BS installed my subclavian port under the mastectomy flap so I have no external scar. One thing I would ask your surgeon about is taking extended antibiotics post-surgery to minimize the risk of infection so that you can move to chemo in a timely fashion without delay due to infection.

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  • Jenwith4kids
    Jenwith4kids Member Posts: 635
    edited July 2016

    Hi there - same as me, bc in both breasts and in my left nodes. Better to get the port in at the same time, that's less anesthesia you have to deal with. Good luck!! Hang out here, you'll get through this with a little help from your "friends"!

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  • Leslie13
    Leslie13 Member Posts: 202
    edited July 2016

    I agree with others about whether you'll need chemo. It's a waste for many of we ILC girls. My oncotype was low and there's a lot of research stating hormone therapy is what controls ILC, and many chemo's used on IDC don't work.

    So I awoke with a port I never used, and had it removed because it takes frequent maintenance. And have a scar I didn't need - and I have more than enough

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