Surgery success...now what?

dharmal
dharmal Member Posts: 17
edited March 2014 in Breast Cancer #1
I was Dx with non-invasive DCIS in December 2001..had excisional biopsy in January 2002..margins weren't clear enough, so had the re-excision last week. Margins came out with no residual carcinoma showing. YIPPEE!! I'm not sure where to go from here. Don't know if radiation is going to buy me anything at this point, which is what docs are recommending. Any words of wisdom would be greatly appreciated

Comments

  • jeancmici
    jeancmici Member Posts: 665 Member
    #2
    If you checked with every oncologist in the country and Europe too, they would all say the same thing - radiation is necessary with a lumpectomy. They do not all agree about radiation with a mastectomy, but in your case - yes - 100%.

    May I ask why there was so much time between your surgeries to get clear margins - what went on between Jan and June?

    Good luck!
    Jean
  • banker
    banker Member Posts: 317 Member
    #3
    Go for the radiation, its timeconsuming but it does'nt hurt. You'll get tired. I had the same dx, had the rads (34)and now chemo because I am in a high risk group.I wanna make sure, no guarantees but everything helps. Good luck and best wishes...Love Emmi
  • shirlann
    shirlann Member Posts: 229
    #4
    banker said:

    Go for the radiation, its timeconsuming but it does'nt hurt. You'll get tired. I had the same dx, had the rads (34)and now chemo because I am in a high risk group.I wanna make sure, no guarantees but everything helps. Good luck and best wishes...Love Emmi

    Hi, dear, get Dr. Susan Love's Breast Book and I believe the percentage of recurrence without radiation is 35% higher. Unacceptable, you definitely want the rads. Read the book, and then you will understand better what is at stake. Hugs, Shirlann
  • dharmal
    dharmal Member Posts: 17
    #5
    jeancmici said:

    If you checked with every oncologist in the country and Europe too, they would all say the same thing - radiation is necessary with a lumpectomy. They do not all agree about radiation with a mastectomy, but in your case - yes - 100%.

    May I ask why there was so much time between your surgeries to get clear margins - what went on between Jan and June?

    Good luck!
    Jean

    The reason for the time between Jan and June was two-fold..one, the surgeon wanted to let me heal so the re-excision would be more cosmetically viable. The other reason was my family was going on a vacation and the surgeon said go ahead and we would schedule later..she said it wasn't a life-threatening issue. So that's the explanation. Thanks so much for your input. I really appreciate it. dharma

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