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Lien · 02-01-2012, 08:32 AM

I had a lumpectomy and radiation and am 8 years out from diagnosis without a recurrence.

Actually, a recurrance in the breast is not the worst thing. The doctors perform a mastectomy, as the radiated breast cannot be radiated again. What we worry about is a recurrance in a different part of the body. That would be much harder to treat.

As far as I know, there is no difference in the risk of distant recurrance between mastectomy and lumpectomy with radiation.

The chemo and/or herceptin are meant to reduce her risk of recurrence. So it seems like she is doing everything right. Unless she wants to have a mastectomy for other reasons, her friends are not helping her. If she has any worries about this, she could discuss them with her doctor or bc nurse.

Jacqueline

02-01-2012, 08:32 AM	#7
Lien Senior Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: Haarlem, the Netherlands Posts: 835	Re: Question Please help I had a lumpectomy and radiation and am 8 years out from diagnosis without a recurrence. Actually, a recurrance in the breast is not the worst thing. The doctors perform a mastectomy, as the radiated breast cannot be radiated again. What we worry about is a recurrance in a different part of the body. That would be much harder to treat. As far as I know, there is no difference in the risk of distant recurrance between mastectomy and lumpectomy with radiation. The chemo and/or herceptin are meant to reduce her risk of recurrence. So it seems like she is doing everything right. Unless she wants to have a mastectomy for other reasons, her friends are not helping her. If she has any worries about this, she could discuss them with her doctor or bc nurse. Jacqueline __________________ Diagnosed age 44, January 2004, 0.7 cm IDC & DCIS. Stage 1, grade 3, ER/PR pos. HER2 pos. clear margins, no nodes. SNB. 35 rads. On Zoladex and Armidex since Dec. 2004. Stopped Zoladex/Arimidex sept 2009 Still taking mistletoe shots (CAM therapy) Doing fine.