I want to know: Surgery to remove chest skin

[KimB]

I am going to have a surgery to remove a skin from my right chest where three skin tumors are located. After 6 rounds of TCH, the tumors are almost invisible. I'm happy about that. I've already had radiation. My doctors don't want to give me more radiation, so that surgery is must. Now the question is how extensive the surgery should be. My surgeon thinks that just removing the skin surounding each tumor is good enough. I asked the other surgeon the second opinion. He thinks that since many skin tumors are involved with lymph system, it's better to remove the large portion of skin covering the chest. This more extensive surgery requires skin graft (flap). Are there anyones who were in my kind of situation? What did you do? How was the surgery using flap? Did you recover from it very much? Please let me hear your experiences.

Kim

[Delaney]

Hi Kim,
Am in a similar situation I think. Waiting (till Thurs) for biopsy results on small lumps near scar line. Judging by the grave faces in the room, think I know the result. Dont know anything about cost of surgery as am covered by insurance. Wishing you all the best. Did they change your stage because of this?
Delaney,
dx 2008 er-pr-/her2+ extensive nodes involved, mastectomy, a/c taxol, tyverb for year clinical trial.

[Karen Wheel]

Sorry - haven't had any experience with it ---
I'm pulling for you! Thinking of you - let us know how this goes!

Karen

[ElaineM]

Have you considered seeing a good dermatologist? A dermatologist might be able to remove the small skin tumors plus a small amount of skin around the tumors.
Dermatologists can remove various kinds of skin cancers.
There are also drug trials for skin mets. The University of Washington Tumor Group has one with Abraxane and 5 Fu cream. There is another one using Tykerb and Pazopinib. I think this is called the Apply Trial or Apply Study. Your oncologist might be able to find out more information about these for you.

[Faith in Him]

I'm not quite in the same situation but did have a rash on my breast after lumpectomy. At the time they surgeon did talk about removing a large portion of my skin on the chest wall. It was later decided to do a mascetomy and then hyperthermia rads and Xeloda/Tykerb. The rads completely wiped out the rash on the chest wall but also some of my skin. I have just had a tram flap to cover my large wound. It has been a long process but I have not seen the rash is over a year.

[SoCalGal]

Hi Kim,
I had skin lymph involvement in JAN 2003, and they were going to remove my skin with very wide margins, and do a split skin graft with skin from my leg. In surgery, it did not turn out "do-able" this way, they could not ensure clear margins while I was under - some were clear but very close! SO - I woke up from surgery, and I wound up wearing temp skin (cadaver skin) for 7 days while waiting for path report to confirm clear margins. The report confirmed clear margins, SO - exactly one week later, I went back into surgery and they did a latissimus dorsi flap. There was NOT a lot of pain involved at all, and I recovered quickly from this surgery. I remember the doc coming into my room, shocked to see me dressed, up and about. I already had a HUGE surgery in JUNE 2002, so I was in no great state of mind for more surgery. I had also had radiation to the area years before surgery, so there were concerns about the condition of the radiated tissue.

That was 7 long years ago, with NO FURTHER SKIN INVOLVEMENT TO DATE! From what I understood, it's important to be aggressive with the margins when skin is in question, since there is the lymph system and skin covers our whole body. If your two opinions don't agree, I'd get a third - the tie breaker. Or ask your oncologist. You don't have your history with your signature, so it's hard to say any more than my experience. Hope this helps! Flori

[KimB]

Flori,

You have been through a lot. I am encouraged by reading your whole experience. Your and all other ladies' experiences are real, and that is what I wanted to hear.

I am going to talk with my oncologist about this. and you are right, there is a time when we need to be aggressive with our treatment. I feel much better now.

Thank you.

Kim