Radical mastectomy - are there options?

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ehagen10m
ehagen10m Member Posts: 3
edited August 2019 in Surgery - Before, During, and After

My Oncologist said that because a tumor is under the pectoral muscle... that I need a radical mastectomy... where they remove the pectoral muscle entirely. I'm trying to find out if there are lesser solutions. One option (I would think) is just go after the muscle in the way and then remove the tumor. Sparing as much of the muscle as possible. Another thought is to use proton beam therapy at a place like MD Anderson, where they can target the tumor without affecting the muscle.

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  • exbrnxgrl
    exbrnxgrl Member Posts: 12,424
    edited August 2019

    I have no medical training, so I won’t speculate on whether your ideas might be workable (I assume you have some medical training?). Radical mastectomies are rare these days, but again, I’m not in a position to know when they’re appropriate or not. I would however definitely seek a second opinion. Wishing you the best

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  • ehagen10m
    ehagen10m Member Posts: 3
    edited August 2019

    I have no medical training, but doing research to find out my options. I am seeking second opinions especially since a radical mastectomy is very daunting.

    I've had two oncologists so far through this battle. The first diagnosed it as inflammatory breast cancer. The second oncologist said it definitely was not inflammatory breast cancer, but invasive ductal carcinoma (triple negative). I couldn't handle the first chemo treatments (carboplatin/paclataxal), so I elected to have a lumpectomy. The radiologist claimed the area was huge (12 cm x 6 cm). The pathology from the lumpectomy said 3 nodes were found. Sizes were 18mm, 11mm and 9mm... (much smaller than 10cm removed). Good news was margins were clear and 5 lymph nodes clear. It also reported it was grossly fibrotic and fibro-fatty. The surgeon reported it was the highest amount of fibrous material he had seen.

    After that good news... I was still in a lot of pain (as I was having since the beginning of the cancer discovery). Both the second oncologist and surgeon said it was just post surgery pain (even though I mentioned I was having it before) ... and don't worry about the cancer coming back.

    After waiting several months, I saw a growth beginning and thought it was a cyst/seroma possibly... and went back to oncologist. Before he saw the growth, he kept saying the pain was normal post surgery pain... but once he saw the growth he ordered another PET scan. It reported four soft tissue masses. The new PET scan reports four soft tissue masses... with one under the pectoral muscle. The good news is that it's still only in the same left breast and the lymph nodes are clear. The bad news is one of the soft tissue masses is under the pectoral muscle. The oncologist and surgeon think the pain I'm in maybe related to the tumor under the muscle.

    So I'm now on Xeloda chemotherapy, hoping to shrink the tumors. Trying to find out if there are options other than a radical mastectomy. I'm also concerned that the fibro-fatty tissue (I have and which they reported in the pathology report), may have caused the first PET scan to report a larger size tumor before the first surgery... may also be causing the second PET scan results to be so dismal.

    I'm not sure how much time I have left (doctor gives it 50/50) and I don't want the majority of that time doing recovery from the surgery.

    I do want to be out of the pain I've had from the beginning of this.

    Quality of life is a major concern.


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  • godisone
    godisone Member Posts: 100
    edited August 2019

    ehagen10m you have suffered enough pain. I am with you and i am keeping you in my thoughts. hope you get well super soon.though second and maybe a third opinion should be taken but what is best for your condition should be the priority. as your pain is letting you down for some time now, so, that's the major concern that needs to be taken care of.

    Dear, if you can then please consult some oncologist from M D Anderson.My faith in them is paramount. It's about your life,please choose the best.

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