Trying to choose lumpectomy or mastectomy

DorisB
DorisB Member Posts: 5
edited March 2014 in Breast Cancer #1
I only have the weekend to decide. I am afraide that they won't get it all if I only have the lumpectomy and I don't want to do radation.

Comments

  • susabella
    susabella Member Posts: 46
    #2
    Hi Doris,
    I'm so sorry you have so little time to make such a big decision. I don't know what your diagnosis is, so it's hard to say, but it sounds like you are already leaning towards the mastecomy. You don't want radiation and you're afraid the lumpectomy won't remove enough. I can tell you this based on my experience. I had no choice, all my doctors, and I got 3 opinions were very glad I chose a bilateral mastectomy. My surgical oncologist told me it was the only choice in fact. That was due to the specifics of my diagnosis, though. For many women, they do have a choice, and unfortunately you are the only one who can answer that. I can tell you that I have no regrets about my mastectomy at all. It gives me peace of mind, I can sleep at night, and know my cancer is gone. I have a friend who had a lumpectomy and radiation and 10 years later is fine, no reoccurance at all. It really depends on your diagnosis and your medical care. It also depends on age, and menopausal status. Premenopausal women are at a higher risk, because breast cancer loves hormones, and it tends to be more aggressive in younger women. There are many women here who can tell you that radiation was a piece of cake, and some who had a tough time with it. It all depends on your overall health and support system. Please think about your individual situation and make a choice based on only that. Will you have the help you need to recover from a mastecomy, or help getting to radiation each day? Will you be comfortable with losing a breast, will this be an issue for you? Ask us anything, there is someone here who can help, between all of us, we encompass almost every different situation. All ages, different choices, different doctors, etc. You will know what feels right to you. Very best wishes to you for a healthy, happy outcome!

    Sue
  • KathiM
    KathiM Member Posts: 8,028 Member
    #3
    susabella said:

    Hi Doris,
    I'm so sorry you have so little time to make such a big decision. I don't know what your diagnosis is, so it's hard to say, but it sounds like you are already leaning towards the mastecomy. You don't want radiation and you're afraid the lumpectomy won't remove enough. I can tell you this based on my experience. I had no choice, all my doctors, and I got 3 opinions were very glad I chose a bilateral mastectomy. My surgical oncologist told me it was the only choice in fact. That was due to the specifics of my diagnosis, though. For many women, they do have a choice, and unfortunately you are the only one who can answer that. I can tell you that I have no regrets about my mastectomy at all. It gives me peace of mind, I can sleep at night, and know my cancer is gone. I have a friend who had a lumpectomy and radiation and 10 years later is fine, no reoccurance at all. It really depends on your diagnosis and your medical care. It also depends on age, and menopausal status. Premenopausal women are at a higher risk, because breast cancer loves hormones, and it tends to be more aggressive in younger women. There are many women here who can tell you that radiation was a piece of cake, and some who had a tough time with it. It all depends on your overall health and support system. Please think about your individual situation and make a choice based on only that. Will you have the help you need to recover from a mastecomy, or help getting to radiation each day? Will you be comfortable with losing a breast, will this be an issue for you? Ask us anything, there is someone here who can help, between all of us, we encompass almost every different situation. All ages, different choices, different doctors, etc. You will know what feels right to you. Very best wishes to you for a healthy, happy outcome!

    Sue

    I agree with Sue. I had a lumpectomy, with node removal, and then chemo/radiation. I will celebrate 1 year post-treatment in May of this year. My recovery from the surgery was fast...that was one of my reasons for the lumpectomy...and I had no trouble with choosing radiation (6 months earlier, it saved my life with my stage III colon cancer).
    The other reason I did not choose the mastectomy was that I have a gal who did have one, no rads after, and she had a reoccurance in the chest wall.

    Sue is giving sage advice...look into yourself for the answer...rates are about the same between mastectomy and lumpectomy with rads...
    I just wanted to beat the beast as securely as I could...I am NED on both as I write this.

    Hugs, Kathi
  • LesleyH
    LesleyH Member Posts: 370
    #4
    As these wonderful women have mentioned, the survival rate is the same. Usually the guidelines for radiation are: lumpectomy, tumor 5 cm or greater, and 4 or more nodes. Radiation is really not that bad. I was stage III and had lumpectomy, radiation, and chemo. I'm nearly 2 years past diagnosis and have not regretted this yet. I would have chosen reconstruction if I had the mastectomy and that may influence your decision as well.

    Good luck.

    Hugs.

    Lesley
  • cruf
    cruf Member Posts: 908
    #5
    Hi! I agree! This is a personal decision. I had a lumpectomy . I initially was told this was the best thing for me and at that time, I was so scared, I did everything I was told and never asked questions. I had the lumpectomy but unfortunately, the margins weren't clear. The MD then gave me the choice to leave everything as is and have radiation and hope all the cells were gone or to have a mastectomy and know everything was gone. To me, this was a no brainer. I wanted everything to be gone so I had a mastectomy and immediate reconstruction(Tramflap)and have been very happy with my decision. It was a bit longer to recover but I was back to work as a PT in a Nursing home and on the tennis courts again 7 weeks post surgery and that was 6 years ago. You have to be comfortable with your decision. Good luck. Please let us know what you do and how you're doing. HUGS!! Cathy
  • DorisB
    DorisB Member Posts: 5
    #6
    Thank you all so much for all the info, yes I have been leaning towards full removal and reconstruction, I am just so scared that they may miss something even though it's very small, and they are sugesting lumpectomy and rad. I also just turned 50 in Jan.
  • Susan956
    Susan956 Member Posts: 510
    #7
    I had my lumpectomy done in May 2005 and in fact we didn't get a clear enough margin and had to do what they call a rescission when I finished Chemo prior to radiation. For me it was the right choice. I was diagnosed when I was 49 and the thought of a mastectomy was very scary to me. So I looked at the stats that said that either option (lumpectomy w/ radiation was as effective as a mastectomy) So I opted for the lesser surgery with the 33 radiation treatments. I have been happy with my decision, it was the right one for me. You will have to consider what you believe will give you greater peace of mind.

    My cancer was a 2B, ER/PR + HER2+ and it was in 2 of 11 lymph nodes. You will get a much better understanding after they finish the surgery, that is when they can give you a full results that will determine the further treatment that may be needed. We will all hope that you will be lucky and surgery or surgery & radiation will do the trick for you... If not come back to the board for lots of advice on your Chemo... there are many tricks that can help make it easier.

    By the way... why do you only have a weekend to make the decision.... If that is putting too much stress on you .. then tell the surgeon you need a few more days... Remember you are the one in the drivers seat... Sometime Doctors take this as a matter of fact... but for us it is life changing and earth shattering... so take the time you need to decide.. what is right for you... they will wait...

    Take Care... God Bless....

    Susan
  • mssue
    mssue Member Posts: 242
    #8
    Well i am 46 now,I was diagnosed in August of 2003 at 43.I felt pretty much like you do now, so I did have the Modified Radical Mastectomy done - no reconstruction.I have a prosthesis(sp)and I am not afraid to use it- lol -While I must say, it was a bit of an adjustment for me afterwards, with no breast-I am so glad I did what I FELT was right for me though. I also have a terrible Family history of cancer which of course helped me with my decision. I am not saying that I would never do the radiation or any other form of treatment should the Cancer reoccur, but for all I-myself have been through already, I gladly count my blessings everyday and I will do whatever it takes to live another day.

    My thoughts and prayers are with U through out this.Here when U need us...

    Big Hugs,
    Sue
  • hounddog
    hounddog Member Posts: 115
    #9
    I know that you have a hard decision to make . You are in my prayers . Right now you are going through a storm in your life and the important thing to do is take one day at a time and put your trust in God. He will help you in what ever you decide.
    Marilyn
  • RNHF1986
    RNHF1986 Member Posts: 26
    #10
    Hi, i'm new to this site and was reading the wonderful advice that was given to you. I hope you were able to make a decision that was right for you. I find that the decision-making time is very stressful, treatment is hard, but tolerable because you "have to", but that the after-math is the hardest of all. I had Hodgkin's when I was 19 and had massive amounts of radiation. I had 2 children (afterwards they couldn't believe that I did) and was diagnosed with bc at age 41. I am now 2 years post bi-lateral mastectomy+chemo. This was highly recommended by several doctors because I had so much radiation when I was younger(radiation is so much more advanced and pinpointed now than it was in 1983). I did have one rad oncologist that thought that a lumpectomy, chemo, and pinpoint radiation might work, but he was the only one. Even though I made the decision for a mastectomy, I do admit that I miss my breasts and all that entails emotionally and physically. I have had tissue expanders put in last year (they didn't want to use any of my previously radiated body skin and tissue), but have not gone on to having the implants yet. I had some thyroid issues that turned out fine, but I ended up having it removed. Because of this, I decided to wait for the implants/nipple reconstruction until now. I am making those choices as we speak. Has anyone else done this? I do have a few questions. Again, I just marvel at all the wise women who are out there that have walked their own roads and came out whole. Hope your decision was what was in your heart.

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