Lumpectomy vs. Mastecomy

dragain
dragain Member Posts: 4
in Breast Cancer #1
New to board. Did chemo first. Tumor shrunk. Next step surgery. Triple negative - Stage IIB.
Prefer lumpectomy. Seen some pictures of bad cosmetic results. Would love some feedback.

Comments

  • lccollins
    lccollins Member Posts: 10
    #2
    Chemo first
    Hi...new to this. Just diagnosed last week. Oncology suggests chemo first for me as well so i could possibly have a lumpectomy vs. masectomy. I like you am torn and confused. I wish I could help you with some words of wisdom. If you wouldn't mind sharing....how did you handle chemo? Working or not? Thanks for any advice to could send my way....Blessings..Linda.
  • dragain
    dragain Member Posts: 4
    #3
    lccollins said:

    Chemo first
    Hi...new to this. Just diagnosed last week. Oncology suggests chemo first for me as well so i could possibly have a lumpectomy vs. masectomy. I like you am torn and confused. I wish I could help you with some words of wisdom. If you wouldn't mind sharing....how did you handle chemo? Working or not? Thanks for any advice to could send my way....Blessings..Linda.

    Chemo First
    I handled Chemo well. 6 rounds Gemzar and Carbo. 21 day cycles. Worked through it. Just missed a couple of days from not feeling well. mostly tired. Premeds for nausea works great.
  • Rague
    Rague Member Posts: 3,653 Member
    #4
    No Option for me
    I'm IBC - lumpectomy was not an option for me. Did 4 A/C 2 weeks apart to shrink and get margins - then 12 weekly Taxol and 25 Rads. Recon was not an option for at least a year either.
  • lccollins
    lccollins Member Posts: 10
    #5
    dragain said:

    Chemo First
    I handled Chemo well. 6 rounds Gemzar and Carbo. 21 day cycles. Worked through it. Just missed a couple of days from not feeling well. mostly tired. Premeds for nausea works great.

    Chemo
    Thanks....it helps to hear you did well and were able to work. I will keep you in my prayers for your surgery.....Linda.
  • Gabe N Abby Mom
    Gabe N Abby Mom Member Posts: 2,413
    #6
    Like Rague I'm IBC (I'm also
    Like Rague I'm IBC (I'm also triple negative) so I didn't have a choice between lumpectomy and mastectomy...and no reconstruction for a year. So I don't have any advice for you. I just wanted to say welcome and to let you know that the people here are incredibly caring and helpful. Best wishes to you.

    Hugs,

    Linda
  • mamolady
    mamolady Member Posts: 796 Member
    #7
    bilateral mastectomy
    I am ER + and Her 2 -, 3 masses right breast, 48 years old. My sister died from breast cancer in 2005. I opted for bilateral mastectomy. Personally, I wanted to eliminate any local recurrence. My daughter found me a t-shirt that says "yes they are fake, my real ones tried to kill me".
    I didn't get recon yet because I was undecided at the time of surgery. I will probably get implants behind the muscle in april next year. I can't do tram flap because one mass was close to the chest wall and recurrence on the chest wall could be hidden with that type of recon.
    There is a huge difference in the quality of the plastic surgeons. Shop around if you can.

    Cindy

    PS - lumpectomies often require radiation. If you can, find examples of what that does to the look of the breast.
  • mruczko
    mruczko Member Posts: 110
    #8
    Lumpectomy vs Mastectomy
    I had stage IIB, HER Pos which had spread to the axillary lymph nodes. and had 6 months chemo first. The 2 tumors in the left breast were no longer visible on the mammogram and PET Scan. Originally I was told mastectomy was the only option, but after these test results the oncologist as well as the surgeon offered me the lumpectomy option followed by radiation. I chose this route, no cancer was found, neither in the breast tissue that was removed nor in the 18 lymph nodes removed. Older women like me have an about equal chance of survival by chosing lumpectomy, if that is possible. As my old radiologist said - sofar-i, so good-i.
    Hugs, Marlene
  • Alexis F
    Alexis F Member Posts: 3,598
    #9
    Gabe N Abby Mom said:

    Like Rague I'm IBC (I'm also
    Like Rague I'm IBC (I'm also triple negative) so I didn't have a choice between lumpectomy and mastectomy...and no reconstruction for a year. So I don't have any advice for you. I just wanted to say welcome and to let you know that the people here are incredibly caring and helpful. Best wishes to you.

    Hugs,

    Linda

    I had a lumpectomy followed
    I had a lumpectomy followed by rads, which I am very thankful for.


    Lex
  • sinee
    sinee Member Posts: 196 Member
    #10
    lumpectomy
    It is such a personal decision, I opted for lumpectomy because my tumor shrunk from 7mm to 1.5 and was a safe distance from my nipple. I had to have all lymphnodes removed and 5 showed cancer markers...I have very large breasts and am very pleased with the results. I also had radiation about a month after suregery and am now on Arimidex..for at least 5 years. I was way past menopause. So no Tamoxifin for me. My breast has not returned to "normal" yet, surgery was March 8th and Radiation just ended 2 and 1/2 weeks ago..so still healing from that. I am pleased with the results. Honestly I made the decision when I had to. In the surgeons office, and I was not sure what my response was going to be. I am happy that I had a lumpectomy. I feel like I made the correct decision for me. Good luck, it is a tough choice, be sure to have all the information that is available regarding your surgery, ask the doctor if his patients have been happy with the results of the lumpectomy's that he/she has done in the past...and do ask how many times he or she has performed a lumpectomy vs. a masectomy...that will help you make an informed decision. Remember most importantly, the surgeon is working for you, you need to have the utmost confidence in them, if you do not, interview another surgeon~stop back often, and ask any questions...and do click on the chat line too. so many great people that really give amazing support, no matter what kind of day you are having..it will be ok, it will all be ok, no matter what you decide. Sinee
  • cinnamonsmile
    cinnamonsmile Member Posts: 1,187 Member
    #11
    Everyone's situations and
    Everyone's situations and preferences are unique. I had hormone positive DCIS and precancer throughout the first lumpectomy sample (and a large part was taken out, can't remember exact number). My ducts seemeded to be riddled with both. I did not have clear margins. After the surgeon drew a picture of what the pathology report showed, I knew right away that I wanted a mastectomy. The lumpectomy was by no means easy for me, it appeared that getting clean margins was going to be an easy task, and although in my case, lumpectomy plus rads equaled mastectomy (even with mastectomy we are not guaranteed no rads or chemo since they dont know til they take it all out),I knew immediately I wanted mastectomy. Since my cancer was contained in the milk ducts only, removing the breast took the cancer. I had told my partner that if anything and I mean anything, was suspected in the other breast, I wanted that out too. The MRI taken of both breasts pre-mastectomy showed a suspicious lump in the other breast. I did not want to go thru the needle biopsy, possible lumpectomy etc again, I chose to get the breast removed as well. It turned out to be PASH, a benign tumor, whose only treatment is surgery anyway. I do not regret my mastectomy and opted for no reconstruction. Mastectomy seems to have a some what negative view as a treatment (I am talking in generalizations here, I know there are those of us that have them) for some. I am here to say, mastectomy was my first and only choice!! It is not always the least desirable option!! For me, it was MOST desirable.
    P.S. I love being able to be braless!!!
  • DianeBC
    DianeBC Member Posts: 3,881 Member
    #12
    sinee said:

    lumpectomy
    It is such a personal decision, I opted for lumpectomy because my tumor shrunk from 7mm to 1.5 and was a safe distance from my nipple. I had to have all lymphnodes removed and 5 showed cancer markers...I have very large breasts and am very pleased with the results. I also had radiation about a month after suregery and am now on Arimidex..for at least 5 years. I was way past menopause. So no Tamoxifin for me. My breast has not returned to "normal" yet, surgery was March 8th and Radiation just ended 2 and 1/2 weeks ago..so still healing from that. I am pleased with the results. Honestly I made the decision when I had to. In the surgeons office, and I was not sure what my response was going to be. I am happy that I had a lumpectomy. I feel like I made the correct decision for me. Good luck, it is a tough choice, be sure to have all the information that is available regarding your surgery, ask the doctor if his patients have been happy with the results of the lumpectomy's that he/she has done in the past...and do ask how many times he or she has performed a lumpectomy vs. a masectomy...that will help you make an informed decision. Remember most importantly, the surgeon is working for you, you need to have the utmost confidence in them, if you do not, interview another surgeon~stop back often, and ask any questions...and do click on the chat line too. so many great people that really give amazing support, no matter what kind of day you are having..it will be ok, it will all be ok, no matter what you decide. Sinee

    I was offered a lumpectomy,
    I was offered a lumpectomy, as, my doctors felt that a mastectomy wasn't needed. My tumor was small and they got clean margins. I finished with rads and am still dancing with NED.


    Hugs, Diane
  • Excited_about_life
    Excited_about_life Member Posts: 5
    #13
    cinnamonsmile said:

    Everyone's situations and
    Everyone's situations and preferences are unique. I had hormone positive DCIS and precancer throughout the first lumpectomy sample (and a large part was taken out, can't remember exact number). My ducts seemeded to be riddled with both. I did not have clear margins. After the surgeon drew a picture of what the pathology report showed, I knew right away that I wanted a mastectomy. The lumpectomy was by no means easy for me, it appeared that getting clean margins was going to be an easy task, and although in my case, lumpectomy plus rads equaled mastectomy (even with mastectomy we are not guaranteed no rads or chemo since they dont know til they take it all out),I knew immediately I wanted mastectomy. Since my cancer was contained in the milk ducts only, removing the breast took the cancer. I had told my partner that if anything and I mean anything, was suspected in the other breast, I wanted that out too. The MRI taken of both breasts pre-mastectomy showed a suspicious lump in the other breast. I did not want to go thru the needle biopsy, possible lumpectomy etc again, I chose to get the breast removed as well. It turned out to be PASH, a benign tumor, whose only treatment is surgery anyway. I do not regret my mastectomy and opted for no reconstruction. Mastectomy seems to have a some what negative view as a treatment (I am talking in generalizations here, I know there are those of us that have them) for some. I am here to say, mastectomy was my first and only choice!! It is not always the least desirable option!! For me, it was MOST desirable.
    P.S. I love being able to be braless!!!

    I had a Double
    This is a personal decision that a woman must make and it is hard. But since you asked... I will tell you right now after sitting in a room full of 2nd time BC survivors - just cut them both off, get some new ones made to match each other, and move on with less worry. Our days are already numbered, so, at times I think it's pointless what all we do to prevent something from happening. But triple negative is not good because there are very few drugs to help your situation. I'm triple positive and will be finishing my year of Herceptin on the 30th and having a hystorectomy on Sept. 12. I've been attending the BC support group once a month and think that that is an excellent group of face to face ladies, patients of your onc., that will give you some valueable information regarding their experiences and possibly a sneak peak at set of rebuilt boobs. I know there is one lady in my group who just had one breast removed because she was proud of her breasts. Now she wishes she had the both removed because they don't match. One is perky and one sags. I don't wear bras and I'm 43! I'm going to get a nipple graph on Sept.12 also, so, I suspect I'll have to wear a bra after that. But it's been fun for the past year without a bra. I went to the ACS and picked up some prothesis and bras at first, then found out my insurance would cover new ones. I only had them a few short months; however, it was very important for me to look normal and they did the trick. Cancer is an ugly beast and our bottom line goal is to beat the thing so dead that it won't have any possible chance at living again. Period. So do what you can now, so you can start living a normal life without worry again.

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