Lumpectomy vs Mastectomy

trsmith0104
trsmith0104 Member Posts: 35
in Breast Cancer #1
I met with my surgeon on Wednesday and she has told me that I have to have a lumpectomy instead of a mastectomy. While I am pleasantly surprised by this, I am also wondering if it means that later on if I will eventually have to have a mastectomy anyway. She is also going to do a lymph node dissection because level 1 is suspect but level 2 seems normal.

She has told me that I most likely will have to have both chemo and radiation. In the back of my mind I wonder if a lumpectomy is enough?
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Comments

  • New Flower
    New Flower Member Posts: 4,294
    #2
    Please ask your doc or get a second opinion
    After radiation skin does not heal well for some time, it is more challenging to have mastectomy after radiation. Everybody's case is unique. Please Talk to your doctors and ask a these questions. Second opinion is always beneficial
  • DebbyM
    DebbyM Member Posts: 3,289 Member
    #3
    I had a lumpectomy and am
    I had a lumpectomy and am very grateful for that. I was told that a lumpectomy with rads, which is what I had, is equal in survival and recurrence rate as a mastectomy as they can never get all of the breast tissue with a mastectomy.

    Good luck with whatever you decide to do!
  • lynn1950
    lynn1950 Member Posts: 2,570
    #4
    Follow your instincts. I've
    Follow your instincts. I've never heard of a doctor saying you HAVE to have a lumpectomy. It was suggested that I have a lumpectomy, but I chose to have a bilateral mastectomy and I am glad that I did. My surgeon said afterward that I had made a good choice. I would get more information and a second opinion. My best to you. xoxoxo Lynn
  • Lynn Smith
    Lynn Smith Member Posts: 1,264 Member
    #5
    lynn1950 said:

    Follow your instincts. I've
    Follow your instincts. I've never heard of a doctor saying you HAVE to have a lumpectomy. It was suggested that I have a lumpectomy, but I chose to have a bilateral mastectomy and I am glad that I did. My surgeon said afterward that I had made a good choice. I would get more information and a second opinion. My best to you. xoxoxo Lynn

    My friend
    My friend had Stage 3 breast cancer.3 nodes were involved.She had a lumpectomy and her doctors said it's about the same as far as survival.Pretty much what Debbie told you. My friend had chemo and radiation after surgery.She is a 18 year survivor. She's doing fine.

    It's a hard decision.I was Stage 0 DCIS.No nodes involved.I didn't have chemo or radiation.My doctors said with my dx all I needed was to take tamox for 5 years I'm a 3 year survivor this month.

    Lynn Smith
  • EveningStar2
    EveningStar2 Member Posts: 491 Member
    #6
    Lynn Smith said:

    My friend
    My friend had Stage 3 breast cancer.3 nodes were involved.She had a lumpectomy and her doctors said it's about the same as far as survival.Pretty much what Debbie told you. My friend had chemo and radiation after surgery.She is a 18 year survivor. She's doing fine.

    It's a hard decision.I was Stage 0 DCIS.No nodes involved.I didn't have chemo or radiation.My doctors said with my dx all I needed was to take tamox for 5 years I'm a 3 year survivor this month.

    Lynn Smith

    what everyone said.
    I had a lumpectomy with rads for DCIS, no problem. But now that I have had a reoccurance, I had a bilateral mastectomy and radiation is a BIG problem. I don't know if the doctor didn't emphasize it or if I ignored it but if you need later surgery on radiated tissue it's a problem. I am in that situation now.

    But you must decide for you--not the doctor. If mastectomy is what you want for your peace of mind-go for it. They did NOT want to do a bilateral on me but I pushed. And I am glad I did-healing on that side has been great.

    Maureen
  • trsmith0104
    trsmith0104 Member Posts: 35
    #7
    EveningStar2 said:

    what everyone said.
    I had a lumpectomy with rads for DCIS, no problem. But now that I have had a reoccurance, I had a bilateral mastectomy and radiation is a BIG problem. I don't know if the doctor didn't emphasize it or if I ignored it but if you need later surgery on radiated tissue it's a problem. I am in that situation now.

    But you must decide for you--not the doctor. If mastectomy is what you want for your peace of mind-go for it. They did NOT want to do a bilateral on me but I pushed. And I am glad I did-healing on that side has been great.

    Maureen

    Thank you all for your
    Thank you all for your advice, I really do appreciate each and every one of you. Not just for what you say but for even sharing your experiences. It is helping me to get through this and somehow make it easier for me. My surgeon told me that even if she did do a mastectomy, it would not change anything. She said that in the end it is how the cancer is treated is what helps the most. I suppose that each area of the medical profession has their opinion and we have ours. I know that I didn't go to med school - lol. I am starting to feel better about the lumpectomy and know that by Friday I will be at peace with this decision. I am just not a peace with cancer. Nasty little bugger.....
  • Alexis F
    Alexis F Member Posts: 3,598
    #8
    trsmith0104 said:

    Thank you all for your
    Thank you all for your advice, I really do appreciate each and every one of you. Not just for what you say but for even sharing your experiences. It is helping me to get through this and somehow make it easier for me. My surgeon told me that even if she did do a mastectomy, it would not change anything. She said that in the end it is how the cancer is treated is what helps the most. I suppose that each area of the medical profession has their opinion and we have ours. I know that I didn't go to med school - lol. I am starting to feel better about the lumpectomy and know that by Friday I will be at peace with this decision. I am just not a peace with cancer. Nasty little bugger.....

    I am happy to read that you
    I am happy to read that you are feeling better about your decision. Like the others wrote and I will just say it too, it is your body, your choice, your life. I had rads after my lumpectomy and am still doing great!

    Good luck on Friday!


    Lex
  • Noel
    Noel Member Posts: 3,095 Member
    #9
    Alexis F said:

    I am happy to read that you
    I am happy to read that you are feeling better about your decision. Like the others wrote and I will just say it too, it is your body, your choice, your life. I had rads after my lumpectomy and am still doing great!

    Good luck on Friday!


    Lex

    Wishing you good luck with
    Wishing you good luck with your appointment this week. Come back and let us know how it goes.


    Hugs, Noel
  • trsmith0104
    trsmith0104 Member Posts: 35
    #10
    Noel said:

    Wishing you good luck with
    Wishing you good luck with your appointment this week. Come back and let us know how it goes.


    Hugs, Noel

    I received bad news today.
    I received bad news today. Even though my surgery is scheduled for Friday, I have to go back to the Surgeon's office. My MRI showed more tumors than what they had expected. She called them satellite tumors. So now she is wanting to discuss either mastectomy or chemo first then surgery later. I guess I haven't really ever been posed with these types of decisions before but extremely overwhelmed at what to do.
  • EveningStar2
    EveningStar2 Member Posts: 491 Member
    #11
    trsmith0104 said:

    I received bad news today.
    I received bad news today. Even though my surgery is scheduled for Friday, I have to go back to the Surgeon's office. My MRI showed more tumors than what they had expected. She called them satellite tumors. So now she is wanting to discuss either mastectomy or chemo first then surgery later. I guess I haven't really ever been posed with these types of decisions before but extremely overwhelmed at what to do.

    So sorry
    about this news! Try to listen to the options and try to make sense of it all. We are always here to listen to you.

    Maureen
  • New Flower
    New Flower Member Posts: 4,294
    #12
    EveningStar2 said:

    So sorry
    about this news! Try to listen to the options and try to make sense of it all. We are always here to listen to you.

    Maureen

    Tonia i am sorry
    i am sorry that you have been through roller-coaster and overwhelmed. please read your own post and comments about lobular. it has been very unfortunate for several of us here, that lobular was not detected on mammogram. that is why many with lobular have had mastectomies and were re-staged after the surgery & pathology reports, and had a different treatment plan than at initial diagnosis. MRI will help your surgeon to use a right strategy for you. please know that we are here for you.
    Hugs
    New Flower
  • AnnieTherese
    AnnieTherese Member Posts: 67
    #13
    New Flower said:

    Tonia i am sorry
    i am sorry that you have been through roller-coaster and overwhelmed. please read your own post and comments about lobular. it has been very unfortunate for several of us here, that lobular was not detected on mammogram. that is why many with lobular have had mastectomies and were re-staged after the surgery & pathology reports, and had a different treatment plan than at initial diagnosis. MRI will help your surgeon to use a right strategy for you. please know that we are here for you.
    Hugs
    New Flower

    It seems to me that almost
    It seems to me that almost every oncologist has a different opinion on the same thing...depending on who you see. It can certainly be very confusing....best of luck
  • Noel
    Noel Member Posts: 3,095 Member
    #14
    trsmith0104 said:

    I received bad news today.
    I received bad news today. Even though my surgery is scheduled for Friday, I have to go back to the Surgeon's office. My MRI showed more tumors than what they had expected. She called them satellite tumors. So now she is wanting to discuss either mastectomy or chemo first then surgery later. I guess I haven't really ever been posed with these types of decisions before but extremely overwhelmed at what to do.

    I am so sorry about your
    I am so sorry about your news. We're here for you so come back and post to let us know what's going on and how you are doing.


    Hugs, Noel
  • trsmith0104
    trsmith0104 Member Posts: 35
    #15
    Noel said:

    I am so sorry about your
    I am so sorry about your news. We're here for you so come back and post to let us know what's going on and how you are doing.


    Hugs, Noel

    The surgeon ended up doing
    The surgeon ended up doing the lumpectomy after all. She indicated that I had enough breasgt tissue to work with to be able to do the procedure. She also did the lymph node dissection. Although we have to wait for the pathology reports to come back, she indicated that the lymph nodes were soft which is evidently a good sign. I already know that I have to have radiation but chemo is still up in the air (dependant on my report, etc.)
  • Alexis F
    Alexis F Member Posts: 3,598
    #16
    trsmith0104 said:

    The surgeon ended up doing
    The surgeon ended up doing the lumpectomy after all. She indicated that I had enough breasgt tissue to work with to be able to do the procedure. She also did the lymph node dissection. Although we have to wait for the pathology reports to come back, she indicated that the lymph nodes were soft which is evidently a good sign. I already know that I have to have radiation but chemo is still up in the air (dependant on my report, etc.)

    Happy your surgery is over
    Happy your surgery is over now and I will be praying for clean nodes for you. Hoping you won't have to do chemo.

    Thanks for the update,

    Lex
  • Mittensandmedwick
    Mittensandmedwick Member Posts: 85
    #17
    Alexis F said:

    Happy your surgery is over
    Happy your surgery is over now and I will be praying for clean nodes for you. Hoping you won't have to do chemo.

    Thanks for the update,

    Lex

    Lumpectomy
    Hi I was stage 1 grade 2. I had a lumpectomy and 3 lymphnodes removed. I decided not to do chemo and have started 34rads treatment. I have completed 5 and have 29 more to go. As other people have said it is a personal decision that we are fortunate to be able to make. Some people don't have a choice. You go wih what you feel is right for you. Good luck to you and you will have support with whatever decision you make


    Patricia
  • disneyfan2008
    disneyfan2008 Member Posts: 6,583 Member
    #18
    2008 I had lumpectomy and
    2008 I had lumpectomy and radiation..so far all is well...

    I was not even given an option I was just told "Lumpectomy"


    on tamoxifen starting 5th year next week..

    Denise
  • Noel
    Noel Member Posts: 3,095 Member
    #19
    Mittensandmedwick said:

    Lumpectomy
    Hi I was stage 1 grade 2. I had a lumpectomy and 3 lymphnodes removed. I decided not to do chemo and have started 34rads treatment. I have completed 5 and have 29 more to go. As other people have said it is a personal decision that we are fortunate to be able to make. Some people don't have a choice. You go wih what you feel is right for you. Good luck to you and you will have support with whatever decision you make


    Patricia

    When will you get your path
    When will you get your path report? Adding prayers that your nodes will be clear!
  • trsmith0104
    trsmith0104 Member Posts: 35
    #20
    Noel said:

    When will you get your path
    When will you get your path report? Adding prayers that your nodes will be clear!

    Path report
    My path report says nodes are clear and margins are clear. My stage is IIA. Oncologist is on the fence about whether or not to do chemo. She is leaning towards chemo because I am 43, but we are going to wait for the oncotype test to come back. I am kind of leaning towards having chemo too, only because I want to lessen my chances of getting this back again.
  • trsmith0104
    trsmith0104 Member Posts: 35
    #21
    Noel said:

    When will you get your path
    When will you get your path report? Adding prayers that your nodes will be clear!

    Path report
    My path report says nodes are clear and margins are clear. My stage is IIA. Oncologist is on the fence about whether or not to do chemo. She is leaning towards chemo because I am 43, but we are going to wait for the oncotype test to come back. I am kind of leaning towards having chemo too, only because I want to lessen my chances of getting this back again.

    Tonia

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