Hi everyone 5 years ago I came on this forum looking to find help when I was asked to choose between a lumpectomy and a mastectomy. Unfortunately at that time I could only find posts from those who had had a lumpectomy and then had to follow up with a mastectomy.
Having read all the research I could I still struggled with the decision until a nurse said “imagine yourself in 1 years time and base your decision on how you think you will feel then” I decided then I would always wonder if I didn’t give it a go and try the breast conserving surgery.
So here I am 5 years post treatment having had a lumpectomy (wide Local Excision) and removal of lymph nodes for a 18mm grade 3 breast cancer. I had FEC plus radiotherapy and was negative for hormones and herceptin. The breast has filled out and the horrible gap in my breast has vanished, you can’t see my scar its so faint. I have just been for my 5 year check and there is no sign of reoccurance.
So for those coming to look here having been newly diagnosed take heart tough as it is at the start there is light at the end of the tunnel. 5 years ago my son started secondary school and I started cancer treatment-today he started college with me proudly there to wave him off.
Radmadz it’s great to read such an uplifting and positive post. What wise words from that nurse in helping you with what must have been an awful decision to make. Thanks Jackie
Only just seen this and delighted to hear that the gap after a lumpectomy can fill out. I didn’t know that, so can I add my thanks for some positive news. It’s great to hear of someone doing so well after a not-so-good start with the BC roller coaster.
Sarah x
I’m glad and lucky to be able to come back and post my good news :). A positive story was something I felt in those early desperate days that the forum needed.
My lumpectomy excision area was a quite deep indentation initially and I admit I didn’t expect it to fill out as it has although I am definitely a bit more cuddly than I was before I had breat cancer, so that has helped
I also had terrible problems with my skin during and after radiotherapy alot of my skin sloughed off and the area under my breast became infected, this left scars that looked awful for about 2 years but are almost invisible now.
Actually, I’m only 6 months post lumpectomy and my crater (it was big) is still filling out. The breast care nurse told me it wouldn’t regenerate but it has. Post op my boob looked like a deflated balloon. Now it looks a lot better. Unfortunately, it folds at the front in my clevage when I have my bra on but still, the improvement is huge compared to post op.
Radmadz, If only you’d posted this a couple of months earlier, I’d been out of my mind with indicisivenes, having the same option to make as you. Eventually I came to the same decision and am waiting to start radiotherapy on the 9th.So reassuring to hear how you made the right choice.Thank you.
Thank you for coming back and posting radmadz! I needed to read a positive story today! I had my WLE and ANC a week ago and im already worrying about clear margins. So reading your post has cheered me up for the day!
lynsey xx
Great topic, wish I’d found it back in November as it might have saved me a few sleepless nights trying to make the WLE / MX decision. In the end my BCN helped by telling me that if I had a WLE there was always the possibility of mx later if I couldn’t live with a deformed breast or if I had a recurrence. I had the WLE and do have a large indentation but my scar is already almost invisible and I’m happy with my boob as I still look normal when wearing a bra.
X Yvonne
Hi girls, I too had the choice of WLE or MX, my tiny8mm lump was near the nipple so I knew I’d lose that and quite a bit of breast tissue as well (op was called a quadrantectomy). I also opted for the WLE knowing I could always have a MX later if necessary. Scar is horizontal, approximately 8/9 cms in length and has healed beautifully. Boob has a small indentation,is smaller and more pert than the normal one, but once clothed the difference is barely noticeable, I do have a partial prosthesis but rarely use it. Did I make the right decision, for me I certainly did. Pat x
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