I have been diagnosed with a stage 1 Breast Cancer and was advised at the first visit with the doctor that I need to have the mastectomy and reconstruction. But yesterday I had a consultation with the Breast Surgeon and he advised that Conservative breast surgery (with sessions of Radiotherapy) will be better option. He examined and said that we can do surgery to clear the area where the invasive cancer is and reconstruct with the side breast tissues. I am bit confused on making a decision? Thanking you in advance.
Hello Miss187
Thank you for your post.
It is understandable that you feel a bit confused about making a decision for your surgery at this time.
Surgical options would usually be discussed with you following a multidisciplinary team meeting sometimes referred to as MDT meeting. When your treatment team has all the information from the tests, they will discuss your treatment options with you and prepare a treatment plan.
Sometimes your treatment plan may change as more information about your breast cancer becomes available.
Breast conserving surgery can sometimes be offered using a technique called oncoplastic surgery, as in your case. This is to minimise the impact to the shape of your breast. You can read more about this kind of surgery here. When someone has breast conserving surgery Radiotherapy will usually be given afterwards to reduce the risk of the cancer coming back in the remaining breast tissue (recurrence).
Some people who can have breast conserving surgery still choose to have a mastectomy and it can feel difficult to choose which option is best for you. We would suggest you speak with your treatment team and breast care nurse about both of the breast surgery options that were discussed with you. They can explain the benefits and risks of each option to help you to make your decision.
Talking to someone who has had a similar experience can be helpful and our Someone Like Me service can match you with a trained volunteer who’s had a similar experience to you. They’ll be a phone call or email away to answer your questions, offer support or simply listen.
You can ring the Someone Like Me team on 0114 263 6490 or email them at someone.likeme@breastcancernow.org, so they can then match you to your volunteer.
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Best wishes
Stephanie
Breast Care Nurse
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