hi, found a lump left side end of may which they thought was a swollen lymph gland (showed up on ultrasound but not on mammogram) had cone biopsy which came back ok but was advised to have it removed which i did 30 july went back for results and got a shock they found cancer cells had more mammograms and found calcifications in both been back today for results ( this is what was on the report) the lump they took out was a grade 3 25mm agressive tumor extensive vascular invasion + e.r negative also 28mm of dcis ( right breast clear ) because of original dx only had lump removed no clear margins now have to decide on either wide excision + rad/chemo or mastectomy with recon+ chemo both with lymph node clearance doc recommends mastectomy but will support my decision either way im 90% sure to go for 2nd excision + treatment as the thought of a mastectomy frightens the life out of me i would be grateful of any advice…
Hi there Harmony
So sorry to hear of your trip onto the BC rollercoaster. Only you can make the final decision, but yes, to most women it’s a huge thing to face a mastectomy. Some women ask to see photographs of what the surgeon has done before - although your results would not be the same they could give you a good idea of what you will be facing.
I have no choice with the mastectomy, but will be having a reduction on side two with an uplift - Pamela Anderson eat your heart out! Always a plus side to everything.
Take your time, look at all the options and, if you have a partner discuss it with them too.
hugs
Ruth
x
hi ruth
thanks for your advice, been discussing with partner/mum/daughter so i am well supported but ultimatly the final decision is down to me as you say, it helps a lot to read the posts on this site i have learned so much in such a short time which is very helpful (although sometimes i think my head is going to burst) i hope everything goes well for you, take care. Angie…
Hi Ruth
Any chance you could answer my comment on breast redcution on the reconsrtuction forum
ta
Joanni
Hi Harmony,
Sorry to hear about your recent experience and diagnosis. It must have been a terrible shock for you as it sounds as if it wasnt clear-cut from the beginning. As someone else has already said only you can decide what to do, and what is best for you as everybody feels differently. I had to have a mastectomy even though my lump was only 13mm as I had small breasts and the lump was behind the nipple. I think I would ask why your doctor recommends mastectomy, is he/she sure that they will get clear margins with a second excision or is there a chance that you could end up with a mastectomy anyway… like I say, not a problem I had but I know that some women on here ended up going through both. At the time of my op I had a choice of just mastectomy and surgery later, or mastectomy and recon at same time, or mastectomy and tissue expander at same time. I just went for mastectomy and I suppose a little part of me wished I had been more brave and had the recon at the same time, but I just couldnt face the extra surgery at that time. At the end of the day whatever decision you make will be the right one at the time.
Good luck with whatever you decide.
Take care
Pauline x
Just wanted to say that my onc informed me of the risks of spread etc and the options available, then I had to make the decision myself. With the support of my husband I chose the mastectomy. I have no regrets at all, it was the right choice for me. All I would say to anyone who is unsure, is to ask the surgeon were your scar will be. Mine is very high up and so will not give a good result if I choose to have a reconstruction later. (You will see my scar in my cleavage.
Good luck
Irene
Harmony
You say "the thought of a mastectomy frightens the life out of me ", the thought of Mastectomy was the same for me. My tumour was a G3, 40mm and extended under the nipple, my Onc gave me the same choice as you but with chemo first. I was 40 at the time and very keen to retain my breast, having already been through a Hysterectomy at 30. So after great deliberation my hubby and I opted for chemo then WLE. The story then goes that I had 100% response which was what we all hoped for, I was then told they could not do a WLE and I had to have the unwanted Mastectomy but could not have a recon at that stage due to the possible need for rads!
That was back In January this year and I am still reeling from the shock, I can’t bare to look in the mirror as the sight horrifies me. My hubby has been wonderfully supportive and the experience has drawn us much closer together, but it does not help me put closure on the whole episode.
So what I guess I am saying is that you need to do what is best for you and the way you feel, you are fortunate in the fact that you do still have the choice at this stage. If they do not get clear margins then you know what the outcome will be, unlike me where I was led to believe that I would not need the Mastectomy unless the chemo DID NOT shrink my tumour!
Good luck with whatever choice you make.
Lynn
The thought of mastectomy may frighten the life out of you, but better that you have a life to be frightened out of. I would go for the sledgehammer myself. I had DCIS first time around and then invasive with vascular invasion the second time around and asked if I could have bilateral mastectomies but they had to get the (second) cancer out pretty darn quick and there wasn’t time for a mastectomy, but for peace of mind that is what I would have wanted.
Honestly I’d go for mastectomy and chemo and rads. But ultimately you have to make your own choices in life. I also opted to stop Tamoxifen after the first bout, and understand having stopped it after six months could’ve been a risk factor in getting it second time around.
I wish you a quick decision. Once you have made it, stick with it whatever it is, and KNOW that it is the right decision for YOU. Incidentally I always ask medics, what would you suggest if I was your wife/mother/daughter/lover. Never fails.
Hi Harmony, Like everyone, I was scared at the thought of a mastectomy last year, but I wasn’t given a choice. The woman in the bed opposite was going for a lumpectomy, and I felt a bit envious, but it turned out that they didn’t get it all in her case, and she had to go back for a mastectomy after all.
I had an expander in at the same time, and last week I went back for the expander to be removed and replaced with a permanent implant. I have to say I am happy with the result, and apart from a slight difference in size (which they say is due to swelling which will go down) you can hardly tell I’ve had anything done.
I was lucky that I didn’t need radio or chemo, and every one should make their own choice. But talk to as many people as possible who have had it done, and ask to see photos. There probably isn’t a right and wrong choice. There will be for and against both. I trusted the consultant, but look at all the fors and against each option and make your own decision.
You will get a lot of support on this site whatever you decide.
Good luck
Heidicat
Hi Harmony
I, like Heidicat, needed a mastectomy and wasn’t given a choice.Hopefully, I won’t need any further treatment but I won’t know for sure until I go for my followup appointment in a couple of weeks. If you read my earlier posts you will realise that I was terrified at the idea of an op but I can now honestly say that it was really not a problem. The staff were brilliant - very reassuring and calming, I had no after effects whatsoever and the morphine driver ensured that I was painfree. I know that it’s natural to worry but please try not to let fear influence your decision. It really isn’t anything like as bad as you imagine it will be.
God bless.
Christay
Like you I now need a mast. + or - recon - upto me. Had a WLE and SNB in Aug to be told now have grade 3 invasive + DCIS. They got all the invasive and 3 out of 4 margins were clear but 4th not - still DCIS. ALso SNB showed lymph involvement so I am having aux. clearance as well.
Surgery booked for 28th Sept. I am just so scared - I have two little children.
Christay - thank you so much for your positive comments - all this waiting is driving me mad. Following surgery I will have to wait another two weeks for update lymph nodes
Hi anne 5
I like Heidicat have dcis behind the nipple and was not given any option but a masectomy with a snb at the same time was offered immediate reconstruction as surgeon said he was 99% certain the lymphs would be clear, as I do not have any lumps only dcis behind the nipple, picked up by mammogram, my op is 28th sept and I am terrified, but have found this site a great help. Finally decided that at present I do not want the recon. Ill see what the results are after op may reconsider but at present feel that I may be able to get back on track with prothesis, as I need to get back to work as soon as possible
Sweetheart
Hi everyone. I can only speak from my own experience, and everyone’s case is different, but I am glad I went for the immediate reconstruction at the time of my mastectomy. I don’t believe that made any difference to the recovery time, and it meant only one more small op to replace the expander with the implant.
The worst part of the whole thing from diagnosis through the two ops, was the fear. Try not to dwell on it. Take each part of the treatment as it comes. We are all here for each other.
Heidicat. x
Just wanted to add that my lump was partly behind the nipple too. This was a deciding factor for me. The lump was quite big, 3.6 cm and the hole left, with clear margins, would have disfigured my boob considerably.
Irene