Mammotome vs surgery to remove fat necrosis resulting from radiation treatment

[Surgeon-online]

Hi SB, basically the whole exercise is to determine whether this is a malignant lesion or just a simple fat necrosis. So, obviously you should not leave them alone. The next thing is which way to obtain a reliable adequate biopsy and possibly remove the whole lesion entirely. It depends on the size of the lesion and the expertise of the surgeon concerned. With adequate experience, more and more surgeon are going for vacuum assisted breast biopsy(mammotome) which are much less invasive and able to give you adequate tissue sample with the possibility of removing the lesion in entirety. Hope it helps you and you have chosen the right decision.

[Jo_BCC]

Hi SB,

I'm sorry you haven't had any replies to your question as yet, but hopefully someone will now see it and get back to you.  In the meantime you are most welcome to give our helpline team a call and have a chat with them about your thoughts/concerns.  Calls are free 0808 800 6000 lines open weekdays 9-5 and Saturdays 10-2.

Take care,

Jo, Moderator

[SB]

I hope I can find someone who can help. I had a lumpectomy for ILC four months ago followed by 30/5 sessions of radiation therapy. Now I'm on Tam. A month ago I had my first ultrasound and it showed a lesion that was classified BIRADS 4c. The biopsy indicated it's fat necrosis resulting from radiation treatment.

My three doctors the surgeon, oncologist and radiologist want to have this fat necrosis removed in three months' time. However, they're not in agreement about the method of removal. The surgeon wants to have it surgically removed. The oncologist and the onco-radiologist prefer the Mammotome as it's less invasive and would leave no scar.

I'm confused and don't know which option I should go for and what dangers I risk running into if I choose not to remove this area of fat necrosis.
Can anyone help answer my questions?


Thanks.