Is it better to have a masectomy

[emmasmom]

Hi. I was diagnosed at IIIA, 7 of 12 lymph nodes. I had clear margins when they did the lumpectomy. I want to make sure I do everything I can to keep cancer far away after my treatments. I have had conflicting conversations on whether or not a mastectomy will decrease my chances of cancer coming back. Has anyone had to make this decision or gotten advice from their oncologist regarding this? thanks!

Lisa

If you have not had a chance to do so try putting masectomy into the search engine top right hand corner above.

There a quite a few posts to start you off.


RB

I have been where you are. I too am stage IIIA and they wanted to do a lumpectomy on me. But I think it HAS to be a personal decision. We are all different. What's right for one....might not be for another. Many women want to save their breast and I can't blame them.

For me personally...I have been married for 26 years...and I was just terrified of then not getting clear margins if I went for the lumpectomy since my mass was almost 4cm big. Had my lump been smaller...I probably would of went for the lumpectomy. My thought was how much breast would be left when my mass was so large? Plus my husband said he didn't care...he just wanted me around. So I went for the mastectomy for those reasons.

I too had lumph node involvement. I know I was told MANY times from doctors and all kinds of other people that has dealt with this decision that lumpectomy is just as good as mastectomy. So I wouldn't worry too much...especially since your surgeon said he got the clear margins.

One of my biggest concerns BEFORE I had the surgery...I was advised that sometimes with lumpectomy...they CAN'T get clear margins and I might have to have another surgery to get clear margins...and sometimes women go back up to three times. (Not often..but it does happen.) I just could NOT DEAL with the thought of several surgeries. I just wanted to get the cancer out and get moving on treatment.

Since your surgeon got clean margins...you should be fine. I know how hard it is to make all these decisions. Its not easy thats for sure.

[lucky4x]

Goodmorning. I know this is difficult for you, I have been in your shoes.

I will not tell you what you should do, as this is a very tough decision, however, I will tell you my story ( in a nutshell).

2000- lumpectomy-4cm lump 4out of 9 nodes infected. Close but clear margins.
Treatment, AC and Taxotere, radiation

2002-same breast, lumpectomy 2.5 cm no nodes, no chemo or rads.

2004- Had bilateral mastectomies ( my choice)
When that same left breast was removed, there was already the start of another tumor same spot. Am I happy I removed it? Yes.

2005- Mets to lungs. Treatment Herceptin and Navelbine

2006- Herceptin is working, complete response.Continue on Hercpetin indefinately.

That is all I can say. I am not sorry I had the mastectomies. I was 46 yrs young (at time of mastectomies) mom of 3, married for 18 yrs.

This is the hardest decision you will ever have to make, but whatever you choose... go with it, and don't look back.

I wish for you Peace of Mind and Health of Body.
Lucky

[CLTann]

Although I am a stage 1 patient, I opted for mastec at the decision time. If I were in your shoe, my decision is likely doing the same. My reasons of mastec are: my own G.P.'s wife also had stage 1 breast cancer and they decided to have mastec, additionally, we feel that the "clean margin" does not mean there are no stray cancer cells that are not detectable by the microscope. Even with mastec, there are still possibility that some stray cancer cells are already making their base elsewhere. It takes months and years for the new bases to reveal the real problem. Although many surgeons and medical standard treating procedures now consider lumptec plus radiation equals to mastec, their position on this is on shaky ground, as viewed by many medical doctors. Of course, in the final analysis, it is the patient who must make the ultimate decision.


Ann

[DeborahNC]

((Lisa))

After I recurred (Stage 0 to Stage 1) in exactly 2 years after lumpectomy , clear margins,+ 33 rads my hindsight kicked in and I wished I had gone the more drastic route of bilateral mastectomy. With this local recur I asked for and got bilateral mastectomy. I remember my surgeon said that he knew I was serious about the request by the look in my eyes. After two years of mammos and all the angst surrounding them I just couldn't face any more.

It's your decision in the end. Someone earlier said to make your choice and don't look back; good advice. Although my left breast was healthy I have absolutely no regrets about my choice. It may or may not prevent another recur, but I feel on much firmer ground emotionally with both breasts gone.

[suzan w]

My story:

mammogram showed suspicious spot-May '05
biopsy-(lumpectomy)-7mm invasive lobular tumor, did not get clear margin as surrounding tissue had invasive lobular in situ. Tumor was ER+ PR+ Her2+
my decision was for a bilateral mastectomy-done June '05...no other cancer was found. nodes (one on right side, 2 on left) were negative.
I wanted the bilateral for several reasons. One, invasive lobular cancer spreads single cell and is often undetected (I was lucky mine showed up on mammogram...everyone said I should be the mammogram poster child) and can recur in the other breast more often than other types of cancers...even though nothing was there at time of biopsy. And it seems that among the women I know who have had breast cancer (an alarming number of them), those who had lumpectomies or only one breast removed either had recurrences and then needed more surgeries...or in 2 cases by the time they realized it had spread they had serious problems and have since died. And everyone said that they regretted not having the mastectomies done in the first place. The way I looked at it..no breasts greatly reduced my chances of a recurrence in the breast!
I have not had one moment of regret as to my decision. I did not have any reconstruction done and am healing up quite well.
I had 4 cycles of A/C and am doing a year of herceptin. Also 5 years of Arimidex.
Good luck in your decision...ask lots of questions, get as many opinions as you can and most importantly, you have to feel right about your decision and then it will BE right!!!

[katcdale@yahoo.com]

My Gynoc. sent me to an exceillant surgeon who performs both, since mine was almost 5cm,and I already had an implant, she performed a masc. My sister had breast cancer 6 yrs.ago and she only had a lump.with clear margins and 3 of a mass of lymph nodes positive. Get a 2nd opinion, if you want. Kat in the delta
P.S. Does anyone know about the forum heard by radio??? e-mail me katcdale@yahoo.com

[chrislmelb]

I had undetectable cancer by both mammagram and ultrasound. I had a lump removed which was a cancerous lymph node. They had assured me it was healthy lymph node. The primary was not to be seen but after much imaginative 'guessing" it was found with several core biopsies under ultra sound. I ended up having three ops. I now am glad i had a mastectomy because all the tissue is gone and nothing left for me to wonder about.
Good luck with your decision.
Christine

[emmasmom]

Thank you so much for your replies. I am going to talk to my oncologist again next week. You ahave all been so helpful!


Lisa

Lisa,
Go to "Medline Plus.gov" . Maybe you can find some answers at this site, or go to M.D.Anderson. Kat in the Delta