Does Mom need a Hysterectomy?

[devoted son]

My mother is 63 had microcalcification in right breast, this was biopsied and determined to be cancer. Right breast was removed followed with reconstruction.She also went through 8 rounds of chemo followed up by herceptin. Her cancer was not hormone receptive. She was born with two uteruses NOT bilateral. She carried a child on one side and one on the other. After her and my father were married they fused the two vaginas together to create one. Now that she has gone through breast cancer should she consider a total hysterectomy? She has never had an abdormal PAP. Our concern and desire is not to have to worry about any cancer in the ovaries or uterus. Please advise, Thank you, devoted son.

[CCF-RN,MSN-rf]

Dear devoted son:  If your mother is not having any problem with her uterus, the diagnosis of breast cancer does not usually indicate a need for hysterectomy.  Your mother might benefit from a discussion with her doctor to determine if she has any additional risk factors that may influence any decisions about whether she needs any additional surveillance or intervention.

[lizziecee]

I am not a doctor, just a breast cancer survivor of 3 yrs now, and one who had a bi-cornuate womb, detected when I was 41 yrs old, undergoing a hysterectomy (with atrophied ovaries which were removed).I have never had children. None of my cancer doctors (nor my Gastro - I have had Crohn's disease for some 35 yrs, now 62 yrs old)have ever made any mention of the connection of bi-cornuate uterus with breast cancer. Bi-cornuate uterus is a congenital problem, caused in the womb, when an embryonic female's uterus should change from two horns to a spoon shape - well, that is how my gynae explained it to me. Bi-cornuate, is I believe, the Latin term for "two horned". I don't think you can put the two problems together, unless it is unique.
Good luck.

[lizziecee]

Sorry to be pedantic and a pain, but I don't understand your posting - when you say her two wombs were not bilateral! Just as breasts come in two's, so do bi-cornuate uteruses. I am/was a twin to a male, so obviously we were two eggs, but don't know if my Mom had bi-corunate wombs. She is dead now, but even if she was alive, she wouldn't have the answer to this question. Hope the doctor/nurse here can give you more guidance than I can.

[contentedsammy]

Hi there
I also have a uterus with a wall down the middle of it, they found this out on my first pregnancy that I didnt get to carry to full term. They said that everytime I get pregnant that I have one on each side (twins)not identical twins. The first pregnancy I carried until the 21st week and my water broke and miscarried. With the first couple of pregnancy's one would miscariage before term and the other would follow not long after,but during the first pregnancy the baby had made a hole through the wall.
It took a few pregnancy's before I could carry one full term and decided to stop after the birth of my son. The doctors were scrambling around here like they found the cure for the common cold I guess they dont see that to often( so I became there guinea pig)that ended after the first pregnancy and I wouldnt let them poke and prod anymore after that. Sorry Im a little off topic but I dont hear of two many people with the same thing as me.So I can relate with you on that, my son is 10 now and I havent had any complications with my uterus and havent had any hysterectomy.
I hopy you get the answers your looking for.
Tammy