reconstruction surgery

gayleyr
gayleyr Member Posts: 51
edited March 2014 in Breast Cancer #1
My tumor was large so chemo was done first - now I am planned for a double mastectomy then radiation - anyone experience this order? Conflicting advice on reconstruction prior to radiation vs. after radiation. Thanks.

Comments

  • mjdp2
    mjdp2 Member Posts: 133
    #2
    My sister in-law had chemo first to shrink her large tumor. She had planned to have a lumpectomy but did mastectomy with immediate tram reconstruction (from her tummy area). She has just finished her radiation and went back to work. She is doing fine. I have heard that reconstruction doctors prefer to do work closely with surgeons during one operation. Also radiation makes the skin firmer and less elastic to work with. I had a lumpectomy, chemo and radiation and my breast is much firmer than the untreated one. Margaret
  • mommy2twinz1
    mommy2twinz1 Member Posts: 38
    #3
    This is teh order I have been given as well. I am only on my second chemo. I will have 6 more, then mastechtomy and then radiation. I was told radiation didtorts the skin so that is why they do not do recnstruction before radiation becasue it messes up all their careful work.
    Tracy
  • 24242
    24242 Member Posts: 1,398 Member
    #4
    I would like to know if you are considering a double mastectomy or will you have them done seperately. If your considering a double you might want to consider one at a time as I did. I was talked out of a double because too traumatic for the body. What about you.
    24242Tara
  • gayleyr
    gayleyr Member Posts: 51
    #5
    24242 said:

    I would like to know if you are considering a double mastectomy or will you have them done seperately. If your considering a double you might want to consider one at a time as I did. I was talked out of a double because too traumatic for the body. What about you.
    24242Tara

    Tara - I have very bad fibrocystic disease in both breasts - this why that although with annual mammograms my tumor was not discovered until it was 8X10 cm - therefore since mammo's on the other breast may not again detect any cancer - I opted to have both removed at the same time. Advice is leading me to wait until after radiation to consider reconstruction. Did you have reconstruction? Thanks for th response.

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