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CoolBreeze · 07-03-2010, 06:30 PM

Hi Just me!

Statistically, there is no difference between lumpectomy and radiation and mastectomy. Survival rates are the same. It's been shown in many studies. Here is one:

http://www.rsny.org/200_PDFs/GSL-A-N...ER-MASTECT.pdf

I am also very high risk. I had a 3.4 centimeter main tumor, and multi-centric, multi-focal disease, with three independent invasive cancers, plus a 4.5 cm area of DCIS. I desperately wanted a lumpectomy but because the cancer was spread throughout my breast, I couldn't have one.

I did opt to keep my left breast. I think so many women opt for a double mx that it has become the norm with doctors to suggest removal of them both. My doctor seemed very surprised that I wanted to keep one.

But, my way of thinking was I had one healthy one and I didn't want to lose complete feeling across my chest, so I didn't want to remove a healthy body part. The odds of having a new cancer on the other side are very low.

Many women do choose to remove both. Some can't stand the uncertainty of wondering if it will come back in their other breast, and as long as you know they can never remove all breast tissue and it can recur in scar tissue, then removing both is a consideration if it will give you peace of mind.

Some women choose to remove both because their reconstruction options are better. That's a very legitimate reason - being a uni makes it much harder for me to get a good cosmetic result but that wasn't my main goal.

I wanted to be able to hug a child to my real breast, have intimacy with my husband, etc. I'm glad I made that choice because my mastectomy side is numb from cleavage to the scapula.

Good luck to you. Make sure you do your research before you make decisions because regrets are very hard.

07-03-2010, 06:30 PM	#2
CoolBreeze Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2009 Posts: 562	Re: Need Info! Hi Just me! Statistically, there is no difference between lumpectomy and radiation and mastectomy. Survival rates are the same. It's been shown in many studies. Here is one: http://www.rsny.org/200_PDFs/GSL-A-N...ER-MASTECT.pdf I am also very high risk. I had a 3.4 centimeter main tumor, and multi-centric, multi-focal disease, with three independent invasive cancers, plus a 4.5 cm area of DCIS. I desperately wanted a lumpectomy but because the cancer was spread throughout my breast, I couldn't have one. I did opt to keep my left breast. I think so many women opt for a double mx that it has become the norm with doctors to suggest removal of them both. My doctor seemed very surprised that I wanted to keep one. But, my way of thinking was I had one healthy one and I didn't want to lose complete feeling across my chest, so I didn't want to remove a healthy body part. The odds of having a new cancer on the other side are very low. Many women do choose to remove both. Some can't stand the uncertainty of wondering if it will come back in their other breast, and as long as you know they can never remove all breast tissue and it can recur in scar tissue, then removing both is a consideration if it will give you peace of mind. Some women choose to remove both because their reconstruction options are better. That's a very legitimate reason - being a uni makes it much harder for me to get a good cosmetic result but that wasn't my main goal. I wanted to be able to hug a child to my real breast, have intimacy with my husband, etc. I'm glad I made that choice because my mastectomy side is numb from cleavage to the scapula. Good luck to you. Make sure you do your research before you make decisions because regrets are very hard. __________________ http://butdoctorihatepink.com 08/17/09 Dx'd. Multifocal/multicentric IDC, largest 3.4 cm, associated ADH, LCIS, DCIS HER2+ ER+/PR- Grade 3, Node Negative 10/20/2009: Right mastectomy, reconstruction with TE 12/02/2009: Six rounds TCH, switched to Taxol halfway through due to neuropathy 03/31/2010: Finished chemo 05/01/2010: Began tamoxifen, the worst drug ever 11/18/2010: Reconstruction completed 12/02/2010: Finished herceptin 05/21/2011: Liver Mets. Quit Tamoxifen 06/22/2011: Navelbine/Zometa/Herceptin 10/03/2011: Liver Resection, left lobe. Microwave ablation, right lobe - going for cure! 11/26/2011: C-Diff Superbug Infection, "worst case doctor had seen in 20 years" 03/28/2012: Progression in ablated section of the liver - no more cure. Started Abraxane, continue herceptin/zometa 10/10/2012: Progression continues, started Halaven, along with herceptin and zometa. 01/15/2013: Progression continues, started Gemzar and Perjeta, an unusual combo, continuing with herceptin and zometa 03/13/2013: Quit Gemzar, body just won't handle it. Staying on herceptin, zometa and perjeta. 04/03/2013: CT shows 50% regression in tumor, so am starting back on Gemzar with dose reduction, staying with perjeta/herceptin/zometa. Can't argue with success! 05/09/2013: Discussing SBRT with Radiology due to inability of bone marrow to recover from chemo. 06/07/2013: Fiducial placement for SBRT 07/03/2013: Chemo discontinued, on Perjeta, Herceptin and Zometa alone 07/25/2013: SBRT (gamma knife) begins 08/01/2013: SBRT completed 08/15/2013: STABLE! continuing with Perjeta, Herceptin, Zometa 06/18/2014: *** NED!!!!*** continuing with Perjeta, Herceptin, Zometa 01/29/2014: Still NED. continuing with Perjeta, Herceptin. Zometa lowered to every 3 months instead of monthly. 11/08/2015: Progression throughout abdomen and lungs. Started TDM-1, aka Kadcyla. Other meds discontinued. Remission was nice while it lasted. 5/27/18: Stable. Kadcyla put me right back in the barn. I have two teeny spots on my lungs that are metabolically inactive, and liver is clean. I’m beating this MFer. I was 51 when this started and had two kids, 22 and 12. Now I’m 60. My oldest got married and trying to start s family. My youngesg graduates from Caltech this June. My stepdaughter gave me grandkids. Life is fantastic.