HER2 Support Group Forums - View Single Post - Update...got more info...but need your opinions!

julierene · 03-07-2006, 01:09 PM

With you being young like me, I have a little bit of a different opinion about DCIS. My mother was 28 when she got BC the first time. It did not invade the lymph nodes and she had that side removed. 2 years later, she developed another tumor that was more aggressive in the other breast. At that time, they couldn't see the DCIS that was probably in her other breast from the original DX.

For me, I was also 28 with DX. I had no lymph nodes positive too. I opted for a bilateral mastectomy with immediate reconstruction with saline implants. The literature for young women with BC leaned toward doing the bilaterals. Reason being, if you have a genetic condition that predisposes you to BC, your other breast is at the same risk your first one was. Being so young, with so many years left for your breast to develop cancer - I would think about the prophalatic mastectomy. When I decided to have a bilateral mast, I was only aware of the one tumor. After pathology, they found extensive DCIS in the other breast! So I made the right decision. For me, they said I wouldn't be able to keep my breast - that the chances of more DCIS showing up were almost 100%. I honestly feel that those of us DX at such a young age, have a genetic component that we have to deal with. I found mine last year in the p53 gene. 12 years ago, they couldn't find it.

But keep in mind, I went from practically stage 1 to stage 4 in a year and a half. Even an aggressive approach didn't stop this stuff. In the end, you gotta do what you feel is best for you.

I don't regret my bilateral mastectomy decision. To be honest, it's much easier to match two implants than to try to match one implant to a natural breast. You would probably get a better result.

03-07-2006, 01:09 PM	#9
julierene Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Illinois Posts: 327	With you being young like me, I have a little bit of a different opinion about DCIS. My mother was 28 when she got BC the first time. It did not invade the lymph nodes and she had that side removed. 2 years later, she developed another tumor that was more aggressive in the other breast. At that time, they couldn't see the DCIS that was probably in her other breast from the original DX. For me, I was also 28 with DX. I had no lymph nodes positive too. I opted for a bilateral mastectomy with immediate reconstruction with saline implants. The literature for young women with BC leaned toward doing the bilaterals. Reason being, if you have a genetic condition that predisposes you to BC, your other breast is at the same risk your first one was. Being so young, with so many years left for your breast to develop cancer - I would think about the prophalatic mastectomy. When I decided to have a bilateral mast, I was only aware of the one tumor. After pathology, they found extensive DCIS in the other breast! So I made the right decision. For me, they said I wouldn't be able to keep my breast - that the chances of more DCIS showing up were almost 100%. I honestly feel that those of us DX at such a young age, have a genetic component that we have to deal with. I found mine last year in the p53 gene. 12 years ago, they couldn't find it. But keep in mind, I went from practically stage 1 to stage 4 in a year and a half. Even an aggressive approach didn't stop this stuff. In the end, you gotta do what you feel is best for you. I don't regret my bilateral mastectomy decision. To be honest, it's much easier to match two implants than to try to match one implant to a natural breast. You would probably get a better result.