needed advice

i had lumpectomy 4/07 due to left breast ca stage 1-2.colloid carcinoma.unable to clear margins and also found insitu after surgery.went ahead and finished chemo.am i making the right decision doing bilateral mastectomy this time?i'm so afraid of reoccurence.my surgery will be nov 16.thank you very much.

[Fernando Roque, MD]

Hi. There are certain situations where bilateral mastectomy is indicated.  The first is if the type of breast cancer is "lobular carcinoma".  This type has a propensity for developing in both breasts, so bilateral mastectomy is done to reduce the risk of recurrence, even if only one breast is presently involved. The second situation is if you have a strong family history of breast cancer, particularly if you carry breast cancer genes called BRCA 1 and 2.  If you do not have any of the above conditions, then having bilateral mastectomy may not be beneficial.  My suggestion is for you to thoroughly discuss with your surgeon the pros and cons of the procedure before having it done.