scared of having a mastectomy

I can’t tell you the right-for-you answer. I can tell you that mastectomy does not automatically eliminate radiation. At the time of mastectomy will your surgeon also do a sentinel node biopsy? I had a sentinel node biopsy three weeks before my mastectomy which was super helpful. I knew prior to the mastectomy that i needed radiation and chemo.

Have you talked to a plastic surgeon? I met with two prior to my decision for a unilateral mastectomy (my breast surgeon and one PS were advocating for bilateral). Despite the perceived complexity I had DIEP reconstruction as I was certain implants were not for me. I did have a tissue expander placed at mastectomy that essentially “held the space” during the subsequent year of treatment and healing.

A mastectomy is not easy. Honestly DIEP was an easier experience for me but i know i am an exception. A reconstructed breast is not the same as my natural breast. I was able to have nipple and skin sparing so it looks pretty similar but there is limited (no) sensation.

My final advice is to delay surgery if you are not sure. Taking a few weeks to be 100% confident in your decision is not going to make a significant impact on your physical health but will go a long way to help your mental health.

Good luck

You've already had breast cancer twice, (or is it 3 times, according to your signature...) why do you want to keep breast tissue? So it is more likely to happen a third or fourth time? The fact that it already occurred in a radiated zone does not seem like a good sign.... sorry. You need to accept reality that your breasts are very fertile for cancerous activity.... I don't mean to so sound harsh but leaning towards lumpectomy again sounds a little crazy.

It's true mastectomy can include radiation along with treatment, but usually only if it is along the chest wall. I had a bilateral mastectomy at age 35 and it sucks I had to ruin my body at such a young age due to shitty genetics (I don't even have BRCA genes) but seeing my mother have DCIS in one breast and then in the opposite breast 5 years later - it was a no brainer for me to remove them both at my first run in with cancer. Recovery was shockingly much easier than expected and I'm glad I didn't have to deal with radiation and its risks.

My DCIS was 6cm (multifocal) so it would have been too much of a deformity for my B sized breasts. I did not have recon and got pretty good flat results. Rather than having a lumpectomy chomp taken out or implants or altering other parts of my body, I figured I would rather just have a flat blank spot - "nothing" if I couldn't keep my own, real breasts.

You are right though - it IS all horrible. We basically get to chose between shitty decision A or shitty decision B, with a few twists to them etc. But you need to think about your health and your future! Mastectomy is going to be OK! Maintaining your high risk for recurrence by keeping breast tissue may really NOT be ok next time!

It never hurts to have multiple opinions, but ultimately you need to make the decision that is the best for you. When I had to make choices, I made an old fashion list on a pice of paper with pros and cons of all options. Seeing it in front of me in black and white always seemed to make the decision very clear.

For me, recurrence would equal mastectomy. If it was in both breast that would equal double mastectomy. I never had a recurrence in the breast with the lumpectomy . I just went metastatic to bone and lungs. Metastasis should be your focus right now. Once metastatic always metastatic. So sorry for your hard path .

Yes, this is a hard choice. Because of the past treatment, most oncologists are going to suggest surgery. It is a big operation. I think you might feel better if you spoke with a plastic surgeon, too. The location is going to make a difference. I am sorry this is happening after you've had radiation.

hello sweetie I was diagnosed as we were planning our 2nd marriages I was 42 I wanted lumpectomy so I wouldn't go into new marriage with one breast But Praise God I decided on mastectomy and Praise God no recurrence and this yr a 25yr Survivor. I went thru reconstruction body rejected it with high fever and hardened been wearing prothesis and no problems since. Your decision. msphil idc stage2 0/3 nodes 3mo chemo before and after chemo and got married then 7wks for rads and 5yrs on Tamoxifen.