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jackiemanz
jackiemanz Member Posts: 85
edited March 2014 in Breast Cancer #1
I have been recently diagnoised the Stage 0 breast cancer and I have seen two Onclogist and they both have recommend that I have a bilateral mastectomy since I am considered at high risk of getting invasive cancer. I have since agreed to go ahead with it but I really don't know if it was the right decision since it is only Stage 0. I could wait and see if it got worse but then what if I didn't catch it early the next time around. So did I make the right decision?

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  • prayerangel
    prayerangel Member Posts: 147
    #2
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    It is extremely hard to make a decision like that. Are the oncologists you mentioned in the same practice, or are they at 2 different places? What do you mean by Stage 0 exactly? What did they find in you and your tests, to come to that conclusion/diagnosis? How many family members have had the breast cancer in your family?
    God bless. Karen
  • jackiemanz
    jackiemanz Member Posts: 85
    #3
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    The doctors are in two different practices. I was diagnoised with LCIS and because my mother had a lumptectomy and my aunt had a mastectomy they consider me at high risk. The Pathologists called it stage 0 which some of the doctors i've seen call it precancer and some have called it a marker for cancer so which doctor do you belive.
  • 24242
    24242 Member Posts: 1,398
    #4
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    jackiemanz said:

    The doctors are in two different practices. I was diagnoised with LCIS and because my mother had a lumptectomy and my aunt had a mastectomy they consider me at high risk. The Pathologists called it stage 0 which some of the doctors i've seen call it precancer and some have called it a marker for cancer so which doctor do you belive.

    Well one might want to look at this as a time for preventative medicine since limiting the risks is all we can do to have a chance it seems. I was 36 at time of my diagnosis of stage 3 with 11 out of 21 positive nodes so cancer was my reality...
    But then again there are no garauntees no matter what we choose so what we choose has to be the best for us alone and give us the ability to accept and move on...
    Be good to yourself,
    Tara
    I never did have reconstruction since I didn't do well with surgery.
  • anet
    anet Member Posts: 12
    #5
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    Hi,
    I was also diagnosed with Stage 0, but it was DCIS. I also have a strong family history and 39 years old, my mom had a mastectomy in '98 and my aunt had a lumpectomy in 2002. I first had a biopsy in Nov, then 2 weeks later I had a lumpectomy. After the pathology came back, they told me the margins were still positive. In December, I went for a 2nd re-incision to remove more tissue...then the margins were still positive! That time I had requested the sentinel node biopsy, even though the Dr. said that the chances of cancer in the nodes were almost 0, I wanted that peace of mind...they came clear.
    I had made up my mind that if I had to go for another surgery, I would do the mastectomy. I just had the (decided on double) mastectomy 3 weeks ago with expanders. The process is longer than I wanted but...I try to take one day at a time. If you want more details let me know. I have been told that I do not have to take the medicine for 5 years even though my cancer was Estrogen positive.
    Decisions about surgeries are very personal, not even my husband could help me. Take time to gather information and it is important to trust your doctors. I wish I could help more. All the ladies in this website have helped me the most, you can find strength and hope in their stories.
    Hugs,
    Anet

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