Dear Dee,
I was also early stage 1. Even though I had other treatable factors, ER+ (Arimidex) HER2+++ (Herceptin) as well as undergoing AC & Taxol, I opted for a bilateral masectomy. My onc. did not push it, but nodded very agreeably when I told her I had decided upon it. For me it was a matter of doing absolutely everything possible to never revisit this again. I even had my ovaries removed so that I could take Arimidex as I am only 45. Below is an article I found a while back that made me feel better about my decision. If you should choose masectomy I do not believe that having had radiation rules it out. God Bless.
Local excision (removal of the cancer and surrounding tissue) of the recurrence resulted in 50% of the women experiencing a subsequent local recurrence, while a mastectomy following the initial recurrence resulted in only an 11% incidence of a subsequent local recurrence
Full article:
http://www.komen.org/intradoc-cgi/id...ue&cc_id=36225