Here I go again

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pollyana
pollyana Member Posts: 6
edited March 2014 in Breast Cancer #1
I am a 6 year bc survivor. Last week I had an MRI which showed a possible DCIS in the opposite breast. My surgeon suggested a double mastectomy with reconstruction. I said I'd be willing if my biopsy is positive, but he strongly suggested that I do it without the biopsy. I called my (very trusted) internist and he agrees. Does this sound right or is it a drastic way to deal with the situation. I'm so confused and upset! Please help with your opinions. Thanks

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  • skoefeb2
    skoefeb2 Member Posts: 1
    #2
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    hi polly....no way....i would have a second opinion..... you need to confirm that it is cancer......then decide do the biopsy
  • KathiM
    KathiM Member Posts: 8,028 Member
    #3
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    WHAT???? WHY???? Without seeing if it is cancer or not???? Ask HIM if he wants his testicles removed because there is a great chance of him getting prostate cancer!!!!!

    Sigh, I don't know why this is making a pendulum swing...I thought we were beyond the 'cut it totally off' stage of treating breast cancer....

    I have a dear friend who has now had cancer twice...once in each breast...she has kept her breasts....NED....

    Sorry for the vent....if the second opinion AFTER it is determined to BE cancer says surgery...well, then it would hold more water...remember....surgeons are there to cut..."When in doubt, cut it out...." sigh...

    Hugs, Kathi

    (BTW, Naked Happy Dance for 6 years!!!)
  • seof
    seof Member Posts: 819 Member
    #4
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    It's your body. I am a 6 month survivor, still going through chemo, etc. for the first time, but I would say take your time. Find a second opinion and be sure you are confident that the decision you are making is the best one for YOU! I like Kathi's answer, but you'd have to be sure you are willing to change Drs. before you were quite so blunt. Not all of them would take it so well. I think double mastectomy is fairly drastic, and I would want to be sure I really thought it was the way to go before starting the procedure.

    Whatever you decide will be right for you. seof
  • chenheart
    chenheart Member Posts: 5,159
    #5
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    A "possible DCIS"????? Yes! Yes! Yes! a second opinion is in order! Your surgeon may be correct, your internist may be correct, but YOU need to be correct in this. Seems to me it is akin to asking you to amputate both feet because you have a bunion!
    Stand your ground with regards the biopsy...whatever the outcome you will know in your heart that you did everything possible beforehand.
    Best of luck to you; and please keep us posted!
    Hugs,
    Claudia
  • cabbott
    cabbott Member Posts: 1,039 Member
    #6
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    Sounds like you need more information. Does breast cancer run rampant in your family? Have you had genetic testing that indicates you will get breast cancer in the near future? Yes, you can probably get insurance to cover a double mastectomy with your current history (or a genetically risky history) and an iffy test result (though some knowledgable insurance companies might back out until the biopsy results come in.) Personally, I would demand a biopsy first. Then I would take my reports and copies of my cells to the best breast cancer center known for breast conservation that I could get to. If THEY say double mastectomy is called for, then go ahead and know that you are doing the right thing. But even though my right side needed a simple mastectomy the first time around to completely remove cancer scattered in more than one place in my breast, my surgeon told me that if and when it showed up on my other side it would be treated like a new cancer. If it presented as a lump, I would be advised to have a lumpectomy and radiation (actually slightly more effective than mastectomy). If it presented like it did the first time, then I would need another mastectomy. He said he would do a bilateral the first time around if I absolutely demanded it in order to keep my sanity, but he insisted that cutting out healthy tissue would not stop the spread of cancer or prolong life. Article after article that I have read since then (5 years ago) agrees with his advice. Check with a specialist, but I believe radiation can be done again since it is on the other side. Reconstruction will look fine no doubt, but it will not have the same nerve structure as what you have now. So do it if you must, but consider the alternatives if you can. Final thought: if the biopsy IS positive and you have an operation of any type, make sure they plan a sentinel node operation to check the nodes. That is standard in big breast centers, but not as widely practiced in areas where surgeons still insist "more is better". My original surgeon didn't even mention such an operation since he wasn't highly trained in it. Fortunately for clumsy me, I followed the book's advice and went for a second opinion when they said the "M" word. I still needed the mastectomy, but the sentinel node operation made recovery faster and protected my lymphatic system too. Good luck!
  • KathiM
    KathiM Member Posts: 8,028 Member
    #7
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    cabbott said:

    Sounds like you need more information. Does breast cancer run rampant in your family? Have you had genetic testing that indicates you will get breast cancer in the near future? Yes, you can probably get insurance to cover a double mastectomy with your current history (or a genetically risky history) and an iffy test result (though some knowledgable insurance companies might back out until the biopsy results come in.) Personally, I would demand a biopsy first. Then I would take my reports and copies of my cells to the best breast cancer center known for breast conservation that I could get to. If THEY say double mastectomy is called for, then go ahead and know that you are doing the right thing. But even though my right side needed a simple mastectomy the first time around to completely remove cancer scattered in more than one place in my breast, my surgeon told me that if and when it showed up on my other side it would be treated like a new cancer. If it presented as a lump, I would be advised to have a lumpectomy and radiation (actually slightly more effective than mastectomy). If it presented like it did the first time, then I would need another mastectomy. He said he would do a bilateral the first time around if I absolutely demanded it in order to keep my sanity, but he insisted that cutting out healthy tissue would not stop the spread of cancer or prolong life. Article after article that I have read since then (5 years ago) agrees with his advice. Check with a specialist, but I believe radiation can be done again since it is on the other side. Reconstruction will look fine no doubt, but it will not have the same nerve structure as what you have now. So do it if you must, but consider the alternatives if you can. Final thought: if the biopsy IS positive and you have an operation of any type, make sure they plan a sentinel node operation to check the nodes. That is standard in big breast centers, but not as widely practiced in areas where surgeons still insist "more is better". My original surgeon didn't even mention such an operation since he wasn't highly trained in it. Fortunately for clumsy me, I followed the book's advice and went for a second opinion when they said the "M" word. I still needed the mastectomy, but the sentinel node operation made recovery faster and protected my lymphatic system too. Good luck!

    Really? There are centers that don't do sentinel node biopsies? I guess I fall into the 'lucky' area too, then...it was a matter of course for my surgeon, even tho I didn't present with 'typical' node involvement...he checked anyway, found cancer in them, removed the next 'set' of 5....cancer free...sort of like checking for clear margins....

    Hugs, Kathi
  • Jantique
    Jantique Member Posts: 3
    #8
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    Get the biopsy! DCIS is non-invasive, so you have the time to make sure!
  • Grace10290
    Grace10290 Member Posts: 9
    #9
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    I have recently learned a lot about Macrobiotics, a diet based on eating whole grains and vegetables and that calls for the elimination of meat and dairy from your diet. Researchers have found a connection between animal-based proteins and cancer, diabetes, heart disease, Alzheimer’s, and many other diseases. Basically, the more meat, dairy, eggs, and processed foods you consume, the more likely you are to get one of the diseases mentioned above. The first stage of cancer (initiation) is caused by carcinogens entering your body. These carcinogens can come from a number of different sources and they cause the initiation stage of cancer. The second stage of cancer is progression. Studies have shown that as a person increases the amount of animal-based proteins in their diet, the faster the rate of progression will be. If a person eliminates animal-based proteins from their diets however, their cancer stops progressing (a remission of sorts). By eating a plant-based whole foods diet, you can actually turn off cancer cell growth! To heal oneself from this diet, a person has to eat specific foods that target the specific cancer that they have. For example, foods like daikon (a type of radish) help break up tumors in the body. Shiitake mushrooms lower blood cholesterol by a huge percentage.

    I know this probably sounds crazy, I thought so too at first. You're probably wondering why you've never heard of this before as I was when I heard about this. The reason most people don't know about macrobiotics is because our economy depends largely on the meat and diary industries and many scientists and doctors don't want to admit that cancer, a disease that affects so many people, might be that easy to cure.

    Many people are not willing to give this a try. They don't want to believe that many of the foods they love could be killing them. Adopting a macrobiotic lifestyle is certainly less expensive and less painful than paying medical bills and getting massive doses of chemotherapy and radiation. This is definitely something to consider, even if you do consider it an unlikely last resort. I understand if you can't find it in yourself to believe what I say.

    If you are skeptical of what I have just claimed to be true, here is some more information if you are interested in at least learning about Macrobiotics.

    The scientific research that shows that this diet works can be found in The China Study, an amazing book by Dr. T. Colin Campbell and Thomas M. Campbell II. This book provides proof that this diet works and explains why/how it works.

    The Cancer Prevention Diet- Michio Kushi- "outlines the causes and cures for cancer, [is] filled with testimonies from cancer survivors, [outlines] the different types of cancers, and [has detailed] information on menus, cooking, [and] healing tactics".

    Recovery Stories:
    1. Becoming Whole -by Meg Wolff-cured of invasive breast cancer

    2. My Beautiful Life- Mina Dobic-cured of ovarian cancer

    3. When Hope Never Dies-Marlene McKenna-cured of malignant melanoma

    4. Recovery from Cancer- Elaine Nussbaum-cured of ovarian cancer

    5. Kamikaze Cowboy-Dirk Benedict- cured of prostate cancer

    6. Healing Miracles from Macrobiotics- Dr. Jean Kohler and Mary Alice Kolher (cured of pancreatic cancer)

    7. Macrobiotic Miracles: How a Vermont Family Overcame Cancer- Virginia Brown and Susan Stayman (malignant melanoma)

    8. Cancer-Free- Kit Kitatani- cured of stomach cancer

    9. Controlling Crohn's Disease The Natural Way- Virginia Harper

    There is much more literature out there, but these are just a few titles.

    If reading is not for you, check out youtube. Look up "Diet Saves Their Lives vol.1". There are at least 10 volumes with people telling their stories about how the Macrobiotic diet saved their lives. They include people who have recovered from the following diseases: Lymphoma (Hodgkin’s and non-Hodgkin’s), leukemia, Crohn’s disease, breast cancer, bone cancer, and more.

    If this information interests you, there are macrobiotic counselors that are better equipped to explain how the diet works than I am.

    If you adopt a Macrobiotic diet and you make sure you are eating foods that give you the right amount of nutrition, what harm could it do to at least give it a try? It is definitely a less painful route than a double mastectomy would be.

    Good luck with whatever you decide to do.

    Grace
  • AuthorUnknown
    AuthorUnknown Member Posts: 1,537 Member
    #10
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    Grace10290 said:

    I have recently learned a lot about Macrobiotics, a diet based on eating whole grains and vegetables and that calls for the elimination of meat and dairy from your diet. Researchers have found a connection between animal-based proteins and cancer, diabetes, heart disease, Alzheimer’s, and many other diseases. Basically, the more meat, dairy, eggs, and processed foods you consume, the more likely you are to get one of the diseases mentioned above. The first stage of cancer (initiation) is caused by carcinogens entering your body. These carcinogens can come from a number of different sources and they cause the initiation stage of cancer. The second stage of cancer is progression. Studies have shown that as a person increases the amount of animal-based proteins in their diet, the faster the rate of progression will be. If a person eliminates animal-based proteins from their diets however, their cancer stops progressing (a remission of sorts). By eating a plant-based whole foods diet, you can actually turn off cancer cell growth! To heal oneself from this diet, a person has to eat specific foods that target the specific cancer that they have. For example, foods like daikon (a type of radish) help break up tumors in the body. Shiitake mushrooms lower blood cholesterol by a huge percentage.

    I know this probably sounds crazy, I thought so too at first. You're probably wondering why you've never heard of this before as I was when I heard about this. The reason most people don't know about macrobiotics is because our economy depends largely on the meat and diary industries and many scientists and doctors don't want to admit that cancer, a disease that affects so many people, might be that easy to cure.

    Many people are not willing to give this a try. They don't want to believe that many of the foods they love could be killing them. Adopting a macrobiotic lifestyle is certainly less expensive and less painful than paying medical bills and getting massive doses of chemotherapy and radiation. This is definitely something to consider, even if you do consider it an unlikely last resort. I understand if you can't find it in yourself to believe what I say.

    If you are skeptical of what I have just claimed to be true, here is some more information if you are interested in at least learning about Macrobiotics.

    The scientific research that shows that this diet works can be found in The China Study, an amazing book by Dr. T. Colin Campbell and Thomas M. Campbell II. This book provides proof that this diet works and explains why/how it works.

    The Cancer Prevention Diet- Michio Kushi- "outlines the causes and cures for cancer, [is] filled with testimonies from cancer survivors, [outlines] the different types of cancers, and [has detailed] information on menus, cooking, [and] healing tactics".

    Recovery Stories:
    1. Becoming Whole -by Meg Wolff-cured of invasive breast cancer

    2. My Beautiful Life- Mina Dobic-cured of ovarian cancer

    3. When Hope Never Dies-Marlene McKenna-cured of malignant melanoma

    4. Recovery from Cancer- Elaine Nussbaum-cured of ovarian cancer

    5. Kamikaze Cowboy-Dirk Benedict- cured of prostate cancer

    6. Healing Miracles from Macrobiotics- Dr. Jean Kohler and Mary Alice Kolher (cured of pancreatic cancer)

    7. Macrobiotic Miracles: How a Vermont Family Overcame Cancer- Virginia Brown and Susan Stayman (malignant melanoma)

    8. Cancer-Free- Kit Kitatani- cured of stomach cancer

    9. Controlling Crohn's Disease The Natural Way- Virginia Harper

    There is much more literature out there, but these are just a few titles.

    If reading is not for you, check out youtube. Look up "Diet Saves Their Lives vol.1". There are at least 10 volumes with people telling their stories about how the Macrobiotic diet saved their lives. They include people who have recovered from the following diseases: Lymphoma (Hodgkin’s and non-Hodgkin’s), leukemia, Crohn’s disease, breast cancer, bone cancer, and more.

    If this information interests you, there are macrobiotic counselors that are better equipped to explain how the diet works than I am.

    If you adopt a Macrobiotic diet and you make sure you are eating foods that give you the right amount of nutrition, what harm could it do to at least give it a try? It is definitely a less painful route than a double mastectomy would be.

    Good luck with whatever you decide to do.

    Grace

    Hello Ladies!

    Just wanted to let everyone know, as with all alternative and complementary treatements, be sure to talk with your doctor regarding interactions with current treatments, potential side-effects, and risks associated with foregoing conventional treatment. You can also contact the American Cancer Society's National Cancer Information Center for up to date information on complementary and alternative cancer treatment as well as information on the rare but possible spontaneous remissions that can be associated with cancer. Cancer Information Specialists can be reached 24 hours a day at 1-800-227-2345.

    Take care!

    Dana

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