Hiya all,was diagnosed with stage 1 grade 2 yesterday.The consultant said that might change when they do lumpectomy in 2 weeks my main concern is i can have single mastetomy if i choose but consultant says there wont be any advantage to me having it,but the way i see it it surley if i have mastectomy theres less chance of coming back,also got to have 3 and half weeks radiotherapy,just dont no what to do.
Hello Lorraine,
IM sorry you find yourself here, on this forum, but it is a great place that will help you through your treatment and times of struggle.
I believe that nowadays a lumpectomy ( breast saving surgery) and radiotherapy are deemed to give as good an outcome as mastectomy for non recurrence. Of course the type of cancer you have and how it presenting is why your surgeon has recommended lumpectomy and radiotherapy, there are some women for whom mastectomy is still recommended. All cancers are individual. The aim behind lumpectomy and radiotherapy is to get clear margins on the tumour and kill any remaining stray cells in the locality, if there are any. Modern breast saving surgery is done if possible so that the trauma on the body isn’t as extreme, with as many long term problems afterwards with the healing issues and so on, it is psychologically beneficial to many as well. The aim of any surgery is to not do anything unneccesary and excess to need that increases risk and complexity to the patient.
So I suspect that is where your surgeon is coming from with recommending the lumpectomy, firstly he/she feels the outcome will be as good without mastectomy and secondly is trying to avoid excess potential mastectomy problems. Of course everyone is different in how they feel about differnt surgeries, and I think you should talk through with your breast cancer nurse about your fears and maybe they can help you make a decision. By the way, I am a non- medical person, just quoting what I’ve been told, and found out, through my own diagnosis.
CHarys
Oh…and you would have radiotherapy with lumpectomy and mastectomy…both.
Hi charys thankyou for yoyr reply also sorry you find yourself here to.Basically what you have said is what the consultant said but obviously things can change when they take it out with lymph nodes etc my lump on mammogramm was 9mm,sorry to ask what was your diagnosis.x
Thankyou again charys,did they do you oncoyote score cant spell it x
Yes consultamt said i can change mind before lumpectomy of i want to.
Thankyou you have neen so helpful and i hope you continue to do well x
Hello ladies, Lorraine you sound the very same as I was a few weeks ago. This part is the hardest, the wait before your op etc. Charys has been wonderful with her sound advice for me as have the other wondeful folk on here. Nothing I asked was too much and I asked some daft things now I think about it but important to me. I had a lumpectomy, stage2 and 16mm. They got it away with clear margins and no nodes affected. I start 19 days of radiotherapy on the 19th September. The next stage of this horrible time of my life but hopefully I get over it and look back saying it was tough at times but I got there. Keep asking and I know once you get your op, treatment plan things will seem a bit clearer. xxxx
Hi all. Basically I would echo everything Charys and Marydan have said. I was diagnosed end of June and had a lumpectomy. All advice was it would be as effective as a mastectomy. My lump was finally found to be 3cm, so I’ve hit the grey area for chemo and I am waiting for Oncotype results. I had endometrial cancer 5 years ago and while there isn’t a link between the 2, I’m concerned there is tendency to grow things. I’ve decided what my decision will be depending on results, although hoping it’s not 24 and in the middle! This waiting time really is the worst bit but the support here is phenomenal. Sending lots of positive thoughts xx
Thankyou janey for your reply im sorry you find yourself here to,things are starting to look a lot clearer now after some good information from charys, its this stage which is most difficult keep hanging round waiting for tests when all i want is to crack on with the surgery and treatment plan.I hope you get good results and do well with your treatment x
Thankyou fairow,i think im going to go with the lumpectomy option, it is a very hard decision to make i just hope its the right one.As you have been through all this yourself you know how hard this time can be with all the decision making and you are doing extremeley wel with the ones you have made,being in this forum as made me realise its not all horror stories when you get a bc diagnosis but some very good outcomes and the ladies on this forum are fantastic always there to help you wheneva you want advice.I hope you continue to do well and thankyou for replying.X
Hiya ladies,had my lumpectomy and snb on friday just wondering if they can tell you the recurrance score and if you usually have any more tests after to see if cancer gone anywere else,i have grade 2 ductal cancer and was told prior to op id probly need about 3 weeks of radiotherapy aswell but obviously i no that can change on final results.
Hi Lorraine, glad you have had your op and I hope it all went well. I had my lumpectomy (then a re-excision due to unclear margins) back in March. I had 4 nodes removed which were clear (they tested them during the operation). I also had the Oncotype test done where a sample of the tissue is sent to the US to determine the risk of recurrance. My score came back as 28, but rather strangely as hormone negative even though it had already been tested after the op at the hospital and was hormone receptive. It was tested again and was definately hormone receptive. An Oncotype score of 28 is at the higher end of intermediate, but my oncologist did not recommend chemo as he felt that any benefit would be outweighed by the risks. I therefore had 15 + 5 boosters of radiotherapy which I completed in June. I have had no other tests done but was given some information about symptoms to look out for which may need further investigation. Now I just have to wait until 2nd Feb next year when I will have a mammogram and also an ultrasound (because my breast cancer did not show up on a mammogram last time). I do feel a bit in limbo and have to quash any thoughts about the cancer having come back with very twinge and ache and pain that I have! I have been getting some pain in my breast but apparently this is likely to be due to the nerve endings repairing which can take up to a year or so. I hope things go well for you and you get through your treatment without too much discomfort. Michelle xx
Hi Lorraine. I just hit the threshold for the Oncotype test. I knew I would need radiotherapy and Anastrazole regardless but hoped, and was lucky to swerve chemo. My results were 17, with the graph showing clearly chemo would make no difference to risk of recurrence. I started hormone treatment last week and am due to start radiotherapy on Monday for 3 weeks with 5 further boosters. Loads of luck with your journey. I was first diagnosed at the end of June, surgery 27th July (again on 11th August). I feel very relieved to have started active treatment finally and gladder still of the support of the amazing people on this forum. Xx