3rd time trying to remove same lump...

prayerangel

I've had 2 mastectomies and 2 recurences, now in bones, so I can't help my in-law with this question...she's had several mammograms, marked with the wire, had a lumpectomy with the drain for a week, saw surgeon today and he said the pathologist and oncologist said he didn't get everything, so she has to have surgery AGAIN to the same spot! How can that be? She brought the special mammogram x-rays WITH her to the surgery that morning. That were taken only hours before the surgery. Does that mean he didn't remove enough around the tumor? Is that a blunder on the part of the surgeon? It's only 10 days later. Should she have a mastectomy? He did remove the sentinel lymph node with others. It didn't spread to the nodes at all. Please advise. Have any of you experienced having to go BACK in for a lumpectomy so soon? Thanks.

JKAlley

Sounds to me like they didn't get clean margins the first time, so yes your right, he didn't remove enough around the tumor. You have to have so much tissue around the tumor clear of cancer cells. If that is it, it is not all that uncommon. Happened to me and I had one of the top breast surgons in my city. She said she was removing what looked to her to be healthy tissue, but pathology said otherwise. She also said that if on the 2nd time around she couldn't get clear margins, it would be a masectomy next. Thankfully all was clear on the 2nd shot, and 4 years later here I am still clean. You need to find out for sure what's going on - but that's my bet. It's scary yes, but doesn't have to mean anything drastic, as long as that 2nd time is clear. Best wishes to you both.

cruf

Hi! I had a lumpectomy following the same procedure your inlaw had and ,yes, I had to go back for more surgery and I did pick a mastectomy. They can't often tell if they got it all until they get the pathology report. My margins were not clear. I chose the mastectomy cause that way, I knew it was all gone. No, I doubt it's a blunder from the MD. Good luck to her and PLEASE, let us know how she does. HUGS!! Cathy

anet

Hi! I think you got your answer...but just to let you know that is not uncommon, that is the same thing that happened to me. I had two surgeries to remove the same spot and it still was positive and then I chose double mastectomy with reconstruction. The pathology study 'sees' more than a mammogram and more details than the doctors when they are checking under the microscope during the surgery. My second surgery was 2-3 weeks after the 1st surgery, and for the mastectomy, I had to wait about 8 weeks because it was difficult to coordinate my breast surgeon and the plastic surgeon to operate at the same time. Good luck to both of you!!!

prayerangel

anet said:

Hi! I think you got your answer...but just to let you know that is not uncommon, that is the same thing that happened to me. I had two surgeries to remove the same spot and it still was positive and then I chose double mastectomy with reconstruction. The pathology study 'sees' more than a mammogram and more details than the doctors when they are checking under the microscope during the surgery. My second surgery was 2-3 weeks after the 1st surgery, and for the mastectomy, I had to wait about 8 weeks because it was difficult to coordinate my breast surgeon and the plastic surgeon to operate at the same time. Good luck to both of you!!!

Thank you everyone for all your advice and personal stories. I will relay it to my in law. You are all so wonderful.

Susan956

Just adding my 2 cents. I had a lumpectomy and as soon as we got results we knew we didn't get an adequate margin. I did have cancer in some of my lymph nodes... so once chemo was finished we did a rescission's to get good margins. It turned out just great for me... the scares actually looked better after the rescission's than they did before... I am now clear for 2 years with no problems.

Susan...

KathiM

The trouble with the pathology is that in order to be sure, it takes longer than a frozen section while the patient is on the table. Not only have I heard of your in-laws trouble before, but also some that have had more lymph node removed later on. I was warned that either or both could happen to me. Luckily, in my case, I got clean margins and even tho the sentinel nodes were involved, the next 5 nodes were clear. No, this is not unusual...they want to get clear everything that they can.

Hugs, Kathi

LesleyH

You have your answer - no one messed up and they are doing the right thing. I just wanted to add that I think this is so kind of you when you are facing your own uphill battle. I hope you are taking time for yourself.

Hugs.

Lesley

24242

Hmmm,
Sorry one has to face such a thing. In my own case I was talked out of a double mastectomy at the time of my own stage 3 diagnosis with 11 out of 21 positive nodes.
My mother a palliative nurse for most of my life urged me not to go through with the double mastectomy since her experience was that it was far to traumatic for the body in some cases.
For once I listened to her and the surgeon. He too was advising against a double at the time but would remove the other if I wanted it done at a later date.
Well months into my recovery I had more lumps and in all 3 removed all benign at the time. They had thought the same of the first lump I had and never bothered to diagnostically check until I was very sick.
At one point I had fears of them leaving a lump and to my horror they actually didn't remove the lump I had found but removed one they had found so I woke up with the lump still there and at that point had another mastectomy exactly one year from my diagnosis and initial mastectomy.
I would venture to say they could miss lumps since they can find when very small. Often times surgeons do needle asperations in their offices and don't get a good enough sample for testing so patients often times end up having twice. I had mine done in hospital because surgeon admitted to this to me. He didn't want to be missing anything at this time, since I was so ill and now not working.
I urge you all to know your risk factors and plead that we all consentrate on that more than anything. That way we can do things to lower our risks and sometimes that means aggressive surgery.
Be good to yourself and know your options,
Tara