Therapeutic mammoplasty for second primary cancer

Hi,

and good wishes to you all wherever you are on your journey.

I’m hoping to hear about anyones experience of having a therapeutic Mammoplasty as I have been offered this procedure.

Bit of background - I was treated for a small screen detected breast cancer in 2017 following a routine screening mammogram.Had a WLE and radiotherapy to right breast but declined hormone therapy as cancer was tubular which is considered to be lower risk than the more common IDC.

Fast forward to my last surveillance mammogram before being discharged back to routine screening. Recalled and have now been told that I have a new primary cancer in my left breast, caught early as before but totally unexpected and am feeling  a bit emotionally battered at the moment

My breast surgeon has offered me a therapeutic Mammoplasty to correct the discrepancy in size between my breasts that has developed since my previous treatment and am wondering whether anyone would be happy to share their experience xx

   

Hi

Sorry you are having to go through this again.

 I had a therapeutic mammoplasty 15 days ago. So far I am recovering well and I am happy with my breast shape and size, apart from the bruising and scars it looks pretty much the same as my other breast. It looks and feels a bit better each day and I think eventually the scars will fade and I will have two almost matching breasts. Although I have been told that the radiotherapy I am likely to have may affect the appearance of my breast slightly.

 I haven’t experienced too much pain and discomfort in my breast, the wound and nerve damage from the sentinel lymph node biopsy has been more troublesome but that too is improving every day.

 I am going for a wound check and to get my post surgery pathology results on Thursday and hope my surgeon will be pleased with the outcome of his handy work. But mostly hoping for clear margins and lymph nodes so that I don’t have to have further surgery.

If you have any questions about my experience of therapeutic mammoplasty please do ask.

Good luck with your treatment xx

Hi

I was diagnosed with DCIS in January this year.  Following a WLE and two further surgeries to try for clear margins, I was told I needed further surgery as the margins weren’t clear from the underside of my breast.  The surgeon did a bilateral mammoplasty - removed a large area on the left breast to remove the cancer and reduced the other breast to match.  It was much more major surgery.  My first three surgeries were all on the same scar and it is well faded now.  I still didn’t realise how major the fourth surgery would be even though the surgeon said the scars would be extensive and recovery would be 6 months to a year.

Three and a half months later I still have some pain ant tightness in the larger scars.  Radiotherapy increased this.  The ‘bad’ breast is worst as I have had four surgeries and things moved around in there.  Scars are healing - around the nipples, vertical below and 10” scars under each breast.  I am glad I had it done as when I’m dressed, I have two perfect looking boobs.

if you have any questions, I’m happy to help.