Hi,
I just wanted to know if anyone else has been diagnosed with Bilateral Breast Cancer?
Whatatit x
Hi,
No you are not alone in bilateral. We are apparently one of only 3% of women diagnosed who have it in both breasts…lucked straight in on those odds and yet that lottery win still eludes me!
I was given the very difficult choice of bilateral mastectomy with immediate implant reconstruction or bilateral wide local excision. I chose WLE as the mastectomy and possible issues and complications of implants wasn’t something I felt I could do if I had another valid choice. They were both 15mm low grade DCIS so it was expected that surgery was all I would need but they couldn’t promise as until it was out and under the microscope they couldn’t be certain. My consultant always underlined it was a personal choice as medically the outcomes were the same and recurrences are in the hands of the gods and can still happen after a mastectomy or WLE.
WLEs went fine with clear margins and right breast needed no further treatment. Left breast however really surprised everyone by having area of invasive cancer and sentinel node biopsy came back positive. So 4 weeks later I had full node clearance on left side. I breezed through WLE but have had recurring seroma and cordng after clearance so a lot of pain still after 3 weeks.
I need radiotherapy and possibly chemotherapy but thankfully rest of nodes came back clear so I am obviously relieved at that. Meeting to discuss this and hormone drugs etc is next week but mastectomy wouldn’t have saved me from any of this. My feelings are as numb as my armpit at times with the rollercoaster of changing diagnosis, treatments and horrendous decisions to make. But one breast or two affected…forums like this show we are not alone in our battle, fears and ultimately overcoming this and coming out the other side. I wish you and everyone else going through this strength, support …and a continuing sense of humour!
Hi, yes I’m another one of the 3%! I initially had a small tumour in my right breast in 2008, dealt with by lumpectomy, lymph node testing (clear) and radiotherapy. This year, after my first routine mammogram after the 10 year program, I was called back in for my left breast only. But a very vigilant radiologist took biopsies from both breasts, and both came back positive. Long story, but I opted for a double lumpectomy as it was thought both tumours were very small, and in particular the recurrent side was so small, it couldn’t even be seen on a mammogram. I knew I could not have radiotherapy again on the right side. The new left side came back with clear margins, but with cancer cells in the sentinel node, but not the second node. But the right side came back as invasive lobular cancer which had spread into the tissue, and they did not get clear margins. However the lymph nodes were clear. So just over 2 weeks ago I had a mastectomy on the right side. I am pleased to say I have recovered extremely well fro the surgery and am getting active again. I am now waiting to see the oncologist in just over a week. I know I will have radiotherapy on the left side, and there may be a discussion about possible chemotherapy, because of the lymph node involvement. As I understand it, the right side will need no further treatment. Every case is different, so I can only pass on my experience. So best wishes to all those in the 3% band, we are very special!
Hello WAT
I have. Your post is quite old now. How is it going ? X