Unsure what to do…
Unsure what to do… Hi. Was diagnosed with breast cancer 2 weeks ago. Originally, I was told that I had no choice but to have a mastectomy. However, we saw the actual breast surgeon yesterday and she said that because I have an “ample” breast I can have a lumpectomy. I am booked in to have the operation on 5 May but have to decide whether to go for mastectomy or lumpectomy and phone them on Monday to confirm. I had prepared myself for a mastectomy but am now unsure. Has anyone else been in my situation? Also, the surgeon did say that there would be no greater risk of the cancer returning to that breast if I chose a lumpectomy rather than mastectomy. I have to have all my lymph nodes taken away because the cancer has spread to those. Had a CT scan which is clear. Any advice, thoughts would be appreciated. Also, I work full time and I am not sure how long I should have off work.
Welcome diglett.
I am not going to be of much help to you as I have not been in the same situation as you, but I am sure someone will be able to give you the advice you need.
I just wanted to say that I have recently had a lumpectomy followed by radiotherapy, and the support I have had from this site has helped me so much.
Good luck in what ever you decide to do, please keep us posted on how you are getting on.
Hugs Val.
Dear diglett I am sorry to hear of your recent diagnosis. I am sure you will receive lots of helpful advice and support from the other forum users, in addition, you are welcome to contact our freephone helpline on 0808 800 6000 where you are able to talk to someone in confidence about how you are feeling at the moment and the concerns you have regarding the difficult decision you have been asked to make. The line is open Monday - Friday 9am - 5pm, Saturdays 9am - 2pm
Breast Cancer Care have recently published a Resources Pack which you may find helpful to read, it is filled with information to help you better understand your diagnosis, test results and the various treatments available. You can download it from the following link or you can ask for a copy to be sent to you via the helpline:
breastcancercare.org.uk//content.php?page_id=7514
Kind Regards
Forum Host
Breast Cancer Care
Hi diglett
I was in a similar situation to you but for different reasons. I am small-breasted and my tumour was too large to be removed as the cosmetic result would have been poor. I was given the option of either a unilateral mastectomy or neo-adjuvant chemo to shrink the tumour, followed by a lumpectomy.
Here are some of the things I considered when making my decision:
If you have a lumpectomy you will automatically get radiotherapy to sterilise the remaining breast tissue. Some women get rads following a mastectomy; others don’t.
Lumpectomy is not always successful. They have to remove some healthy tissue round about the tumour and this has to be free of cancer cells (clear margins); if it’s not you will need further surgery.
Would you have reconstruction if you had a mastectomy? If so, have you spoken to the plastic surgeon about your options? I am quite slim and didn’t have enough spare tissue for a completely natural reconstruction and would have to have an implant. Implants have to be replaced every 10 to 15 years. They can also mask any new lumps and make them harder to detect.
Lumpectomy surgery is fairly straight forward and recovery time is normally quick. Some of the reconstruction procedures following mastectomy can leave you laid up for quite a while.
Risk of distant recurrence (mets or secondaries) is the same with lumpectomy and mastectomy. The risk of local recurrence is slightly higher with a lumpectomy; however a recurrence following mastectomy tends to happen in the chest wall as there is no remaining breast tissue.
Hope that helps. Is it possible to ask for a short postponement of a few weeks to give you more time to do some research?
Good luck - it’s a tough decision.
Lola x
PS - I ended up going for the lumpectomy and have been happy with the results.
Please do some research! Hi Digelett,
I am so sorry that you’ve had to join us.
The choices you face are difficult but please take a little extra time ensuring that you make the right ones for you. ( I refer you to my recent posting on the reconstructive surgery section ‘OK Girls I need a Rant’)
You need to start asking questions. For example, if you have infected nodes, then it would be prudent to have chemo.
- Is it possible to have the chemo first?
There are many advantages to having chemo first, one is it will give you more time to decide what to do about surgery, the second is that you can see how effective the treatment is for you. ( I didn’t, it wasn’t offered but I wish I had.)
- Is it possible for you to have Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy?
This is where a blue dye is injected into your armpit to see which nodes are infected. It may prevent you from having complete node clearance.
- If you op for mastectomy, can you have a skin sparing one? ( This is what I had and it was the best thing I ever did.)
Check out the following website:
www.breastspecialist.co.uk - very useful info from leading surgeon Professor Kefah Mokbel.
Never forget that it is your body. Be demanding! You are the one who has to live with the consequences of your treatment, not the doctors treating you.
Good luck
all the best
Mrs Salmon. xxxx
I had the same choice I was given exactly the same choice as you when I was diagnosed in Feb. this year. At first I was all for getting rid of the whole thing, but took the advice of the surgeon who preferred the lumpectomy approach. As it happened, they thought the lump was smaller than it was and after the operation they told me that they had not got clear margins and the lump was much bigger than had shown up on any of the diagnostics. So…I had to go back for another operation. Again I suggested a mastectomy - but again the surgeon recommended lumpectomy and again I took his advice. There doesn’t seem to be any right or wrong way here. I have to say though that I am glad to have kept my breast - I can wear a normal bra and with clothes on - look much as I always did - one less thing to worry about!
Good luck
Sally
hi i am in the same predicament as yourself and at the moment dont feel capable of even deciding what to have for tea! i have what they call a very good prognosis if there is such a thing and since january have been on the road for a bialateral masectomy on the advice of my oncologist he sent me to another surgeon who has then informed me that my survival rate is the same if i go for the rest of the growth removed and radiation and i will be on tamoxifen with both options i just cant make the decision do we take the chance of the cancer returning with secondaries even though he has assured me this wont happen or have radiation. i am concerned about breast shrinkage and hardening of the breast and i know in the wide scheme of things how trivial this seems but i am not sure how i will feel about this or cope if it happens but on the other hand the picture of the masectomy that has been painted is not good i now have so many issues whereas when i just thought i was having masectomy i had conditioned myself to this and would of lived with it. hope you have success with your decision