Surgery Set...still seeking peace

phillis313

I'm 46, married w/two teens. Recently diagnosed with DCIS. Was told my outcome is basically the same (favorable) for either treatment (lumpectomy w/rad or mastectomy). Surgery is set for lumpectomy...still wondering if I should just opt for mastectomy without radiation. STill unsure and seeking peace with decision. Is radiation worth it???

dorothyt

Phillis, You're the only
Phillis, You're the only one that should make that call. Your body your call.

Watercolor

My experience
Phillis, only you and/or your doctors can decide what is right for you. Six years ago, my doctors said "breast conservancy" so I went with that. I got easily scared by too much info. DCIS diagnosis in November '02. Lumpectomy (4 cm. tumor with clean margins first go though one was very narrow), radiation treatments (very easy time with it), and five years of tamoxifen (completed this past January with just minimal side effects).

Six years later and I am fine. Had my annual clinical breast exam this past Monday and screening mammogram yesterday. Now the waiting game . . . . Not really worried, but am anxious to get the "good to go for another year" results.

Mary D.

phillis313

Watercolor said:

My experience
Phillis, only you and/or your doctors can decide what is right for you. Six years ago, my doctors said "breast conservancy" so I went with that. I got easily scared by too much info. DCIS diagnosis in November '02. Lumpectomy (4 cm. tumor with clean margins first go though one was very narrow), radiation treatments (very easy time with it), and five years of tamoxifen (completed this past January with just minimal side effects).

Six years later and I am fine. Had my annual clinical breast exam this past Monday and screening mammogram yesterday. Now the waiting game . . . . Not really worried, but am anxious to get the "good to go for another year" results.

Mary D.

Surgery Set..still seeking peace
Thanks for the feedback. Watercolor, I can appreciate your comment about getting easily scared by too much info. I'm not typically a very decisive person by nature. I didn't and still do not want to make a decision based on fear. Maybe I need to stop reading for now. My surgeon and I agree, if the margins are questionable, we're just going to schedule a mastectomy. It may mean and extra surgery, it may mean breast conservation, who knows.

Thanks so much for the feed back, it is nice to go somewhere to talk.

cabbott

phillis313 said:

Surgery Set..still seeking peace
Thanks for the feedback. Watercolor, I can appreciate your comment about getting easily scared by too much info. I'm not typically a very decisive person by nature. I didn't and still do not want to make a decision based on fear. Maybe I need to stop reading for now. My surgeon and I agree, if the margins are questionable, we're just going to schedule a mastectomy. It may mean and extra surgery, it may mean breast conservation, who knows.

Thanks so much for the feed back, it is nice to go somewhere to talk.

A logical choice
The research I've been reading keeps pointing out how much better today's radiation therapy is even compared to five years ago. They are able to target the area better and many labs are able to triangulate beams so that surounding tissue is not hit with a damaging amount of radiation while the cancer tissue is destroyed. In short, radiation therapy has gotten much safer while getting even better at killing cancer. The surgery plan you have sounds like a good one to me. It sounds logical. If you can save your breast by doing a lumpectomy plus radiation, you will do that. If "dirty" margins make more surgery needed, you will go for the mastectomy. Either way works for fighting cancer, but it makes the most sense to do it just like you have planned. After all, you can't do the mastectomy first and then change your mind and decide that a lumpectomy plus radiation would have been enough. You have your plan and it makes sense. Next step: work your plan. Final step: revise as necessary. Good luck!

C. Abbott

phillis313

cabbott said:

A logical choice
The research I've been reading keeps pointing out how much better today's radiation therapy is even compared to five years ago. They are able to target the area better and many labs are able to triangulate beams so that surounding tissue is not hit with a damaging amount of radiation while the cancer tissue is destroyed. In short, radiation therapy has gotten much safer while getting even better at killing cancer. The surgery plan you have sounds like a good one to me. It sounds logical. If you can save your breast by doing a lumpectomy plus radiation, you will do that. If "dirty" margins make more surgery needed, you will go for the mastectomy. Either way works for fighting cancer, but it makes the most sense to do it just like you have planned. After all, you can't do the mastectomy first and then change your mind and decide that a lumpectomy plus radiation would have been enough. You have your plan and it makes sense. Next step: work your plan. Final step: revise as necessary. Good luck!

C. Abbott

Surgery Set..Still Seeking peace
Thanks for your replies. They are so helpful. I do think it's a logical choice right now. I just keep flipping back and forth thinking....I could just be done with it and no radiation.... It's set for Wednesday, so we'll see!

Joycelouise

phillis313 said:

Surgery Set..Still Seeking peace
Thanks for your replies. They are so helpful. I do think it's a logical choice right now. I just keep flipping back and forth thinking....I could just be done with it and no radiation.... It's set for Wednesday, so we'll see!

Although I sense that your
Although I sense that your main objective is your health, if the idea of radiation is scary for you, please be assured that it is no where near as bad as chemo. Actually, it is pretty doable. If you like, look back in the posts. I think Babe Bussie had a post with a lot of comments recently about her upcoming radiation and what to expect. Many women wrote in and it might help you in your decision making. Best wishes! love, Joyce

chenheart

To Rad or Not to Rad!
I did have a lumpectomy and as I had lymphnode involvement, I had both chemotherapy and radiation, as many of us here did. Oh My! If I had the option of the lumpectomy with rads ONLY and no chemo needed I would have been "nekkid" awaiting the radiation in a heartbeat! The chemo was a powerful tool in my recovery, and I am thankful it existed for me. But radiation? It is more invasive to get your TEETH x-rayed! I scheduled my radiation for the first appointment of the day, and honestly, I think EVERYONE will tell you that it takes longer to slip out of your blouse and put the gown on than the radiation takes. It is literal minutes! No pain, but a cumulative drying/burn ( as in sunburn) of the skin. If you opt for the radiation we can talk more about that later. Keep us posted~ we will walk you through this no matter what route you choose!

Hugs,
Claudia

KathiM

The least invasive, I think...
I opted for a lumpectomy with chemo/rads after. This was 3 years ago. I checked the stats, and it seemed like the best route...I still believe I did the right thing. I am lucky, no reoccurance....even with my sentinel nodes involved.

My nurse said it well: Whatever your decision is, IT IS THE RIGHT ONE. NEVER second guess a decision later on, it is what it is.

There is a new technique where after the lump is removed, radiation seeds are inserted into the hole. These are then changed twice over the next 2 days. After that, they are removed. These are the same type that are used in prostate cancer. The cool thing? THAT is ALL the radiation you get!!! No 30-plus days. My lump was positioned so that a small slice of my lung is permanently damaged.....man, I wish this new approach was there for me!!!

Hugs, Kathi