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Old 06-09-2015, 12:44 PM   #1
Donna H
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Join Date: May 2014
Posts: 307
Anyone else get this advice?

I had my port removed last week and my surgeon said he would not recommend I get reconstructive surgery. His primary reason was because I had radiation and who knows what scar tissue will result from another surgery. I don't get his reasoning? I had very little, I mean barely any skin irritation from radiation (33 in total). Right now I have a lot of scar tissue to the point it is as if the lump that was removed is still there (I have been assured it is not). Sometimes the breast hurts so I thought getting the scar tissue removed would help with that. But then I would most likely want reconstructive surgery as the tissue/tumor removed was 5 cm x 3cm.

My question is, does it make sense that this surgeon would be so opposed to reconstructive surgery/removing scar tissue? My general practitioner thinks I should get the scar tissue removed. My onc doesn't see the point to removing scar tissue.
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Old 06-09-2015, 01:29 PM   #2
thinkpositive
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Posts: 411
Re: Anyone else get this advice?

I had reconstruction and also had radiation. The radiated breast did have a lot of issues with healing both from the bmx and the reconstruction. I'm wondering if your doctor is just wanting you to wait before getting reconstruction? In hindsight, I'm thinking waiting might have worked better for me but you just never know.
__________________
8/2013 Diagnosed IDC Left Breast ER-/PR-/HER2+ Stage 3C, DCIS ER+/PR+/HER2- Right Breast (54 yr)
8/2013 PET/CT scan shows mass in uterues and suprclavicular nodes
8/20/13 Begin 6 rounds TCH chemo, Perjeta added for rounds 4-6
9/2013 After 1st round of chemo, mass in neck and breast no longer able to feel
11/2013 Hysterectomy, mass from PET/CT scan not cancer (adenomylosis)
12/2013 Finished chemo
1/2014 Double mastectomy with chest expanders
1/2014 Pathology report from surgery and SNB show complete pathological response!
3/2014 Finish IMRT radiation
8/2014 Fat transfer to radiated breast
8/2014 Completed 1 yr of Herceptin
10/2014 exchange surgery expanders removed implants placed
6/2015 3D nipple and areola tattoos
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Old 06-09-2015, 02:23 PM   #3
europa
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Posts: 362
Re: Anyone else get this advice?

So I was told the same thing. The lumpectomy left me with a pothole and a very large scar ball which always freaked out my radiologist oncologist. My surgeon told me it was full of water and it would take at least a year to shrink. She advised not to do any reconstruction until it shrank because my skin had to heal from radiation and cutting into me would make the scar ball worse. She was right, my pothole is more pronounced noe and my scar ball went from the size of a large meatball to the size of a pea (though I just felt my boob and I can't find it). I plan on getting reconstruction this year at some point.
__________________
DX 10/2011
PET Scan + MRI 10/2011
Lumpectomy 11/11/11
Stage 2B +++ ER+(10%), PR+(5%), HER2+++(1 positive node, 1 micromets to second node)
AC started 12/2011 ended 1/2012
Taxol + Herceptin weekly for 12 weeks ended 4/2012
30 zaps of radiation done 6/2012
Tamoxifen 6/2012
every 3 weeks of Herceptin for another year.
Metformin Trial 8/12
10/12 MRI- CLEAR
01/13 BRAIN MRI- CLEAR!
01/13 Neck MRI- CLEAR!
FINISHED HERCEPTIN 1/9/2013...Woot Woot
Starting Walter Reed Vaccine Trial 2/13
CT Scans + ultrasound of abdomen CLEAR-5/13
02/2015 through 11/2015 emergency D&Cs for Tamoxifen induced uterine polyps which caused uncontrollable hemorrhaging
12/2015 blood clot to left leg caused by Tamoxifen. No longer taking it. On Xarelto, a blood thinner
12/2015 Ablation to prevent hemorrhaging from potential issues with Tamoxifen residue in my system
1/2016 continuing journey without hormonal therapy. Reevaluating the option of a hysterectomy and oopherectomy.
4/1/2018 2mm stroke. Yes, stroke! No cause ever found but they believe it was a migraine that went bonkers and created a tiny clot. No deficits. I was back to normal with 24hrs. Now on baby aspirin for life.
7/27/2018 hysterectomy and oopherectomy
01/07/2019 Mastectomy and expanders put in
3/22/2019 Vtach, almost died. Cause unknown.
7/22/2019 New perky boobs put in
7/21/2020 Off of all drugs but a baby aspirin because of the stroke in 2018.


www.mychemobag.org
www.facebook.com/mychemobag

8 YEARS NED
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Old 06-09-2015, 07:21 PM   #4
Heathcliff4
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Re: Anyone else get this advice?

My understanding is that radiated skin is extremely unpredictable in how well it heals. Sounds like you had a lumpectomy? I think that if you are unhappy with how it looks and are hoping for some relief of discomfort, it's certainly worth exploring. Also, did your plastic surgeon remove your port or was it the invasive radiology surgeon?

I had reconstruction after I had radiation. My plastic surgeon watched me like a hawk. Supposedly, the failure rate of reconstruction (with implants) is 50%. I'm glad I did it, but I find wearing a bra extremely uncomfortable because my scars are on the crease under the breast.

Good luck. I'd definitely get another opinion.

Kathryn
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Kathryn Ellman

8/2013 Diagnosed age 42 with boys aged 2.5 and 6, Stage 11b, 1 cm her2+++, 30% ER positive, 5% PR positive, Rt Breast. Also DCIS in second spot of rt breast, high grade.
9/2013 Bilateral mastectomy, 3 nodes positive
10/13 Started AC/TH, Perjeta and Herceptin
1/14 Finished Chemo
3/14 Radiation, 5 weeks
4/14 Started Tamoxifen
6/14 Discontinued Tamoxifen due to extreme joint pain, exhaustion and depression
6/14 Started Exemestane and Zolodex shots to suppress ovaries
11/14 Finished Herceptin
11/14 Discontinued Exemestane due to similar side effects as Tamoxifen.
1/15 Reconstruction
3/15 CT Scan (routine) shows possible liver mets.
3/15 PET/CT scan shows no mets - huge sigh of relief
4/15 Began Letrozole. Knee and hip joint discomfort but minimal. Otherwise, knocking on wood - so far, so good!
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Old 06-10-2015, 08:10 AM   #5
jaykay
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Join Date: Oct 2012
Posts: 645
Re: Anyone else get this advice?

I had reconstruction after a BMX and radiation. You just need to wait after radiation for a certain amount of time. I waiting 6 months, some wait longer.

I would make an appointment with a plastic surgeon who specializes in breast reconstruction and get an opinion from her/him
__________________
March, 2000: 48, Post menopausal (5 yrs HRT) Left breast, IDC 3mm/DCIS 1.6cm, ER+/PR-/Her2+++, mod differentiated, MIB low, lumpectomy, node neg via SNB, rads=33 Stage 1a
June, 2000: Tamox 4.5 years,Femara for 5 years (end in Jan. 2010)
Sept, 2012: 61, Via mamm, ultrasound, biopsy, right breast, 2.3cm tumor, ER+/PR-/Her2+++, poorly diff, KI67 60-70%
BRCA 1 and 2 negative
October, 2012: Bi Mast with tissue expanders, port placement
Final Path: IDC 2.8cm, DCIS, 1/4 sentinal nodes positive (@#$%). Stage IIB
Nov 29, 2012: Begin TCH/6x/every 3 wks, H for 1 year/every 3 weeks.
March 14, 2013: Finished chemo
April 9, 2013: Begin radiation 28x
May 22, 2013: Finished rads
June 1st, 2013: Started Aromasin for 5 yrs.
July 15, 2013: Switched to Letrozole (Femara). Probably for the rest of my life
October 16, 2013: Exchange surgery
October 31, 2013: Finished Herceptin
December 5, 2013: Port removed
Glad this year is over!
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Old 06-10-2015, 02:50 PM   #6
snolan
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Location: El Paso ,Tx
Posts: 436
Re: Anyone else get this advice?

I had reconstruction after radiation. My PS waits anywhere form 6 month to a year before doing it. I did a latissimus dorsi flap. There are some differences in the radiated side but only if you are looking at it closely, otherwise mine came out great. I would talk with a plastic surgeon, one that does a lot of reconstruction and get his/her opinion
__________________
dx: DCIS 6/8/10, HER 2+ 7/26/10; Stage I Age 41
Double mast w reconstruction
6 TCH w 1yr herceptin
Tamox.
25 radiation tx
Removal of expander on L due to infection. Tried to save it had 3 bouts of antibiotics and went to see plastic surgeon 2-3x wk to get drained. Saving it was my idea not his. But lost it anyway.
Reconstruction set for December 21st,2011
Finished chemo 12/2010
Finished Herceptin 8/26/11
Reconstruction 12/21/11
Expanders exchanged for silicon 3/19/12
Nipple reconstruction 5/18/12
Nipple tatooing- 7/9/12- All done yay!
11/22/12-Went back to get scar tissue stretched to even the outside of breast, didn't work due to it being radiated skin.
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Old 08-01-2015, 01:48 AM   #7
agness
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Location: Seattle, WA
Posts: 285
Re: Anyone else get this advice?

I listened to my body after rads and also read up a lot on how to help support the tissue as it healed and here is what helped me heal rather well. I had a LX and not a MX with recon though so I'm not tested in that particular way.

The first 6 months are the most critical for tissue remodeling post rads

Daily massage of the area was critical, applying lymphatic drainage techniques from a licensed LT therapist; she taught me how my body wanted to drain.

Every other day vibration massage with Clarisonic fascism brush. My body asked for this and it turns out that vibrations can improve regeneration of minor blood vessels and lymphatics. I just used general cleanser and again, applied the targeted knowledge of how my body wanted to drain.

Myo-fascism release work to chest walk. Exceedingly uncomfortable during the treatment, once done, this treatment was phenomenal at rehabilitating the area. My chest wall no longer swelled in day areas and lymphatic drainage was a breeze.

Nightly application of castor oil, an anti-inflammatory.

Daily applications of Derma-QOL lotion from Thorne.
__________________
  • Dx 2/14 3b HER2+/HR- left breast, left axilla, internal mammary node (behind breast bone). Neoadjuvant TCHP 3/14-7/2. PCR 8/14 LX and SND. 10/21-12/9 Proton therapy to chest wall.
  • Dx 7/20/15 cerebellar met 3.5x5cm HER2+/HR-/GATA3+ 7/23/15 Craniotomy.
  • 7/29/15 bone scan clear. 8/3/15 PET clean scan. LINAC SRS (5 fractions) Sept 2015. 9/17/15 CSF NED, 9/24/15 CSF NED, 11/2/15 CSF NED.
  • 10/27/15 atypical uptake in right cerebellum - inflammation?
  • 12/1/15 Leptomeningeal dx. Starting IT Herceptin.
  • 1/16 - 16 fractions of tomotherapy to cerebellum, break of IT Herceptin during rads, resume at 100 mg weekly
  • 3/2016 - stable scan
  • 5/2016 stable scan
  • 7/2016 pseudoprogression?
  • 9/2016 more LM, start new chemo protocol and IV therapy treatment with HBOT
  • 11/2016 Cyberknife to temporal lobe, HBOT just prior
  • 12/2016 - lesions starting to show shrinkage
  • 8/2017 - Stable since Dec 2016. Temporal lobe lesion gone.
  • Using TCM, naturopathic oncology, physical therapy, chiro, massage, medical qigong, and energetic healing modalities in tandem. Stops at nothing.
  • Mother of 2 boys - ages 7 and 10 (8/2017) and a lovely partner with lots to live for.
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