How can a surgeon do a lumpectomy on something that is no longer there?

seof said:

hmmmm?
I agree that it does not make sense, if he wants to do lumpectomy after lump is gone. However, if you are doing double mastectomy I really wouldn't worry about it. Something to think about: if you don't get satisfactory answers to questions from your current Dr., consider second opinion (or third). We may not be as educated as our Drs. but most of them are not cancer survivors, and none of them have to live with the consequences of their treatments. It is VERY important that you feel comfortable with the decisions that are being made in your care.

That's my 2 cents worth, seof

dont know but so glad the
dont know but so glad the chemo worked so well!!!

bakerette said:

Yeah, I had the same
Yeah, I had the same question. I had two very small spots, very small. Just big enough to run a panel that said hormone negative and comedo (aggressive type) Well, apparently the biopsy removed the entire cancer. When I had my bilateral mast. last Friday the path report comes back that there was no residual Cancer. The surgeon told them to go back and look again. Couldn't find any trace of cancer. So, was all this surgery necessary? We'll never really know I guess. I don't get it either.

Here's my understanding; if

Here's my understanding; if you want the 'real' answer, you should ask your doctor. When you have a core biopsy, the doctor puts a metal 'clip' where he's taken the sample. This can be seen on a mammogram, and this is how he finds the exat place where the cancer was found. He still wants to take tissue in this area, to make sure that he has removed all of the affected tissue and that he gets clear margins.

Joyce

laurissa said:

Hi
I also had the same size tumor 4.4 cm and had a lumpectomy. Chemo took it away for me too. There was a marker put on it at the same time he biopsied. During lumpectomy he took out a grapefruit size hunk of tissue to be sure to get clear margins, and he did. I have large breasts 44 dd, so it's not really noticable, a cup smaller. I'm not really sure what is removed either.

I agree with Joyce and Laurissa,
Even tho it appears the tumor is gone, they go in and take out surrounding tissue to make sure the margins are clear. Because I always insist on a surigcal biopsy (which is actually a lumpectomy as well) if they get clear margins then there is no need for further surgery. If the margins are not clear (in my case) they go back in and did a reexcisional wide margin biopsy to try and get clear margins (that was also when they did the Sentinel Node Biopsy. One margin was not completely clear and I chose a single, simple mastectomy. My pathology on the removed breast was no cancer cells found in breast tissue. And at the time I didn't realize it, but I had begun my dance with Ned. That was last Sept 09 and he still comes and visits.

But as Joyce said for the "real" answer, ask your surgeon. A double mastectomy was never mentioned to me and I never considered one. There was no reason for one in my case.

Even tho you have made your decision, ask your surgeon your question anyway just to have the knowledge.

Hugs, Judy :-)

How can a surgeon do a lumpectomy on something that is no longer
My surgeon described it to me like this. It's like a plant, if you don't get in there and pull out "the roots" then it will grow back. Makes sense to me but I was thinking the same way as you when I asked him the same question. I'm still on chemo and my tumor is shrinking. I have 11 more rounds of Taxol to go! ughhhhh : (