Is it good news though??

[Bas_B]

Hi Stressy-messy,

Would you mind me asking you about operation and the central MX?  The surgeon has given me a little time to think about the surgery because I don't want the LD reconstruction from the back (had bad back muslces for years).  She isn't happy with the thought of just a lumpectomy because she would have to remove so much of the boob.  I'm meeting with the surgeon again tomorrow and need to have made a decision on huge lumpectomy or mx - I just wonder how things had progressed for you since the operation.  I've also been told I will have chemotherapy afterwards and then radiotherapy (which can cause issues for reconstruction whether carried out before or afterwards).

I just want to get rid of the cancer and make sure it's all gone out the boob and whether a partial mx is ok to live with for a while until delayed reconstruction or small prosthesis can be used.

thanks

Jx

[Guest user]

Yes it is good news I'd say. I had a lumpectomy on 6 August but because my tumour was more than 7cm, I then had to have a mastectomy on 20 August! Luckily my cancer hadn't spread to lymph nodes and although tumour was big, it was early stages and very hormone receptive. I started chemotherapy last Thursday, so feeling rough now. Just have to take every positive word you can and hang on to it x

[stressy_messy]

Hi KBO, I think some  surgeons feels rather pleased with themselves when they achieve clear margins and have removed "all" the tumour and have to make a big thing of it lol. Mine couldn't understand why I was not running around the room with excitement when he said "I've removed all the tumour from your breast", it didn't seem to matter to him that I thought I was having a lumpectomy but had to have a central mx for him to achieve his goal lol. Don't get me wrong I am so grateful for all the care and treatment I had and although a bit of a shock waking up to half a boob it wasn't a major concern, I was just glad the surgery was over. Another thing was that I had a node with cancer in so knew only to well that the little bugger was trying to make a break for it and there was a chance that cancer cells had got through, after all that's why I needed chemo to mop them up (if there were any).So him telling me the cancer was gone didn't make me feel better about it all. I know it's great that a second surgery was not needed but he did make me feel like I should be forever indebted to him.

all the best xx

Thought I should say I'm not newly diagnosed lol, I'm 6 years on from dignosis but still pop on here can't seem to drag myself away from the forums haha xx .

[Magical_Moon]

Yes it is definitely good news in the Cancer Lottery!!!
I think the cancer journey we are all 'unfortunately' taking is like a game of Snakes and Ladders.
Any positive news given to you has to be taken as a POSITIVE. One step up the ladder to winning the game.
Well, that is how I intend to look at it.
Celebrate the good results at each stage and try to live in the 'Here and Now'.
I can understand why you feel "the damage has already been done regardless of whether the tumour is out of your body or not". But by holding onto this perspective in your mind you are holding on to a negative thought.
I am having my WLE and SNB on Friday (so scared).
I know I will be 'Over The Moon' if my pathology results come back stating that all the cancer has been removed and I have clear margins plus nothing in my sentinel nodes.
To me that will be sooooooo POSITIVE regardless of whether I will still need radiotherapy and hormone therapy.
KBO I hope you can soon celebrate the good news you have received and not dwell too much on the 'damage'. You have gone up a ladder not slithered down a snake!!!
I wish you all the best.
M x

[Gizmos-mum]

yes it's good news I'd say.

[Guest user]

Hi,
Please can someone tell me why it's such good news that they got all the cancer out when i had a WLE. Yes i know that it's great that they don't have to go back in and do any more surgery again but just because they've got all the cancer out doesn't mean anything to me. The damage as already been done regardless as to whether the tumor is out of your body or not. Am i making sense?..Sorry if this is a daft question..