Diagnosed with IDC and struggling with options

Dear JennD, we're sorry for what you're here, but wanted to say welcome! You'll find our community a very supportive and helpful place.

Until you get responses from other members here with their experiences and advice, you may wat to take a look at the article Managing Your Health Insurance for more information and tips to help you work with your insurance company.

Hope this helps! Let us know how you're doing.

Best,

The Mods

Girl, you have clean lymph nodes, a small sized, medium grade issue. Not sure why chemo is in the mix right now? That is something that I would ask your MO? But, focus on the positive side of the issue: it was small, not aggressive, and not in your lymph nodes.

This is a great site for support and information. Since you had a lumpectomy, check out the "Lumpectomy Lounge." There are many experienced and well educated women there. That is where I started when I was first diagnosed, and they got me through some of the hardest times in my life. Take care and Godspeed with answers.

Hi all, I am having a very hard time deciding between lumpectomy and Bilateral Mastectomy. I was diagnosed two weeks ago with stage 1 IDC grade3, Er+,PR+, and HER2+ MRI showed no lymph nodes. The tumor is 1.5 Would love some advice or stories from someone who had similar diagnosis

This is a very difficult decision and what is "right" for you depends on your particular circumstances.

Are you having genetic counseling? Knowing your risk for developing a new cancer may help you decide.

Have you met with a plastic surgeon to understand your recon options? You don't need to have made up your mind about a mastectomy to consult with a PS. There are implants of couse, but also flaps where skin and fat is taken from one area of your body to make new breast mounds. Even if you want to go flat, a plastic surgeon can help give you a good cosmetic result.

If you are node negative and the tumor is not near the chest wall, having a mastectomy could mean you will not need to have radiation.

People have very personal reasons for choosing lx or mx. Some can't bear the thought of losing a breast while others can't imagine keeping their breasts after having cancer. Some don’t want to endure the longer recovery of an mx or have no support sustem to help them after surgery. Some fear surgery while others really hope to avoid radiation. Unless your medical team is advising one option over another, it comes down to what feels "right" for you and what option will best help you emotionally move on past cancer.

My personal story was lumpectomy first, with close margins so following chemo I needed either another lx or mx. Because I was node negative I knew I would likely not need radiation if I had a mastectomy. My cancer was on my left side and rads would be close to my heart, so skipping rads appealed to me. I also knew that keeping my breasts would cause me a lot of worry.

I chose to do DIEP recon, which means my tummy fat was used to make my new breasts. I had three revision surgeries to complete the recon and create new areolas and nipples. I am pleased with the results and my natural feeling breasts.

Good luck to you. As you do your research and listen to other's stories, you will start to lean toward the option that feels right for you.

Are you doing chemo before or after surgery? If you are doing chemo after surgery, you can always start with a lympectomy and if by the time chemo ends you have had a change of heart and want the mastectomy you can do it then.