I am waiting to have a second stereotactic biopsy because the 2nd opinion doc found more suspicious areas of microcalcs than the first. so far, I know I have alh/adh but that was in one area only. My feeling is like yours. If they find dcis or anything "close" to it, I would want prophylactic mastectomy. My prayers go with you.
WOW Kerry-
Our left boobs must have been separated @ birth! I just had my lumpectomy- they are sending my pathology out for a second opinion, and discussing me @ tumor board this week. My initial biopsy showed a small amount of DCIS, and the post-surgery pathology had them in disagreement whether it is more DCIS or LCIS/ADH, or a combination found in the surrounding tissue. I may need to have one margin cleared yet (if they decide DCIS - if it's LCIS/ADH I am done).
SO confusing - though I'm tossing around the idea of a bilateral, as well...There is *way* too much abnormal cellular activity to make me comfortable with my breasts. All I hear is "tick, tick", you know? My surgeon seems to be very pro-breast conservation - but, like you, conserving my life is more important for *me*. I don't like the word "overtreatment" - I mean can one really "over-treat" a potentially fatal disease?? It's more how much risk reduction does each patient need for peace of mind?
I am 40 and have 3 kids under 10. Honestly, "overtreating" sounds really, really appealing to me right now!
Stress
I have 4 areas of calcifications. Stereotactic biopsy showed all had atypical ductal and/or lobular hyperplasia, with 1 area being borderline DCIS. MRI showed no cancer. However, because patology showed 1 area as being borderline cancer, my surgeon recommended I have a lumpectomy on that 1 area, and watching the other 3 areas with a follow-up MRI. I was not comfortable with that (we're going to trust the MRI for 3 areas, but not the 1?), so I went to a 2nd surgeon & she recommended either 4 lumpectomies or a mastectomy. I am very small breasted & I can't even imagine what I'd look like after 4 lumpectomies, so I am choosing a mastectomy, and I don't even have a confirmed diagnosis of DCIS. After reading about so many people having lumpectomies & radiation having recurrence, & having to go through it all again, I am choosing to be proactive. I don't want to live my life worried every 6 months going in for MRI's.
I agree with carme. You go girl. Live on.
My prayers are with you too! You go girl!
Every single one of us is different and so are our cancers. Do your homework, find out everything about breast cancer, the treatments, the outcomes. Be careful if you do any gene testing...we're not protected against what an insurance company could possibly do if they find out you have a gene mutation.
I paid out of pocket for testing (STRONG family history). I have BRCA2 and when my cancer showed up, I chose to have bilateral mastectomies at age 50.
My younger sister did not test, but when she presented with stage 3, she chose bilateral also.
We witnessed 3 family members with breast cancer and it's reoccurence, it was a no brainer for us. We just lost another recently at the age of 40. It took 5 years for hers to reoccur.
You might get another opinion since you have 2 that are not the same.
My prayers are with you.