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partial or total mastectomy?
I have diagnosed with DCIS stage zero in two areas of my breast, and I have to decide if I want to do a quandractectomy (with 25% chance of having to have a mastectomy after the 1st.surgery depending of the findings) or I do now the mastectomy.
Did anyone had similar experience and could give me a feed back? Thank you!
Did anyone had similar experience and could give me a feed back? Thank you!
I too had dcis in two locations in my left breast. I also had a discharge from the breast. The doctor was sure that he could get all of the dcis with a lumpectomy and then I would need to go through radiation. I went through a biopsy, 2 lumpectomies and still needed to have a mastectomy because the dcis was too extensive. I wanted a mastectomy from the start so I didn't have to worry the dcis returning or radiation, but my doctor and my husband thought I would be happier with the lumpectomy. After I had the mastectomy, it was as if a huge weight was lifted off of me. I ended up having a tissue expander reconstruction done which will be finished in February. I am very happy with my decision, which brings me to my point. Only you can make the decision. I was trying to make my husband happy, and I should have done what was right for me from the start. Only you know whether a mastecomy will be too emotional for you. I will have to admit that I had troulble looking at it at first, but now that my reconstruction is nearly done, I look back and Know that I made the decision that was right for me. February 16th, they will remove my tissue expander put in a permanent implant and augment my other breast to match. I am looking forward to having two perky breasts! Good luck in whatever you choose.
I had a clear mammogram followed by an ultrasound which showed black tentacles in my right breast (yikes!). A biopsy was done and then this is what happened:
When I was diagnosed with breast cancer, the surgeon pushed and pushed for me to get a lumpectomy. The biopsy said I had 1.5 cm mass. Early stage they told me.
My gut instinct told me to have it taken off, all the way off for my own piece of mind and I honestly had to argue with the surgeon who had by then convinced my husband that a mastectomy wasn't necessary, regardless of my piece of mind. While I was waiting for the pathology from the biopsy I also had an MRI done. I went to my surgeons office to pick up my pathology results and I asked the nurse to check to see if my MRI results were ready. The man lied to me and told me no. He said the hospital was closed for the holiday. Huh?? The surgeon came out and went through my pathology with me, pushed again for the lumpectomy and then said, are you ready to get this done? I caved in against my better judgement. She took me to the back office where I signed paperwork for a lumpectomy. Her office gal mentioned the MRI to me and I told her what the nurse had told me. She said, he lied. Just then the surgeon walked past me and said " let me make a copy of this for you". She then put the MRI results down in front of me and said " Well, the lumpectomy is out of the question now with these results. Your mass is 10 cm and this will be a mastectomy!".
So.. my gut was right...my piece of mind shattered... this was no early stage cancer. The size of the mass alone made it a stage 3. I scheduled a second opinion at a breast cancer clinic for the very next day where all of the doctors look over your reports/results and then meet with you together. I never went back to the first surgeon who wasn't listening to what was important to me. My mass was so large that they did chemo first to try to shrink the mass enough to close me up after surgery, 4 treatments, followed by modified radical mastectomy (all the way to the muscle and he took the top of that too for clear margins) and 2 of 9 nodes in my right arm cancerous too. Then 4 more rounds of chemo. Then 7 weeks radiation.
Advice? Get a second opinion. Decide who you will trust with your life and stick with them. Always follow your gut instinct for your survival. And, as you will no doubt hear from everyone, attitude is everything. Difficult as it may be, you really need to be positive. Get busy with life and don't dwell on the cancer or it will consume you. Don't be afraid to ask those around you for help. Don't be afraid to tell them your needs and that you need positive people around you.(I had to tell a very negative friend of mine that I was sorry but I just couldn't handle her constant problems (drama is a way of life for some) and that if she couldn't talk about pleasant and/or positive things then I couldn't talk to her.) And don't forget, you are not in this alone. Whatever your choice, it will be right for YOU. Best of luck! You can do this!
When I was diagnosed with breast cancer, the surgeon pushed and pushed for me to get a lumpectomy. The biopsy said I had 1.5 cm mass. Early stage they told me.
My gut instinct told me to have it taken off, all the way off for my own piece of mind and I honestly had to argue with the surgeon who had by then convinced my husband that a mastectomy wasn't necessary, regardless of my piece of mind. While I was waiting for the pathology from the biopsy I also had an MRI done. I went to my surgeons office to pick up my pathology results and I asked the nurse to check to see if my MRI results were ready. The man lied to me and told me no. He said the hospital was closed for the holiday. Huh?? The surgeon came out and went through my pathology with me, pushed again for the lumpectomy and then said, are you ready to get this done? I caved in against my better judgement. She took me to the back office where I signed paperwork for a lumpectomy. Her office gal mentioned the MRI to me and I told her what the nurse had told me. She said, he lied. Just then the surgeon walked past me and said " let me make a copy of this for you". She then put the MRI results down in front of me and said " Well, the lumpectomy is out of the question now with these results. Your mass is 10 cm and this will be a mastectomy!".
So.. my gut was right...my piece of mind shattered... this was no early stage cancer. The size of the mass alone made it a stage 3. I scheduled a second opinion at a breast cancer clinic for the very next day where all of the doctors look over your reports/results and then meet with you together. I never went back to the first surgeon who wasn't listening to what was important to me. My mass was so large that they did chemo first to try to shrink the mass enough to close me up after surgery, 4 treatments, followed by modified radical mastectomy (all the way to the muscle and he took the top of that too for clear margins) and 2 of 9 nodes in my right arm cancerous too. Then 4 more rounds of chemo. Then 7 weeks radiation.
Advice? Get a second opinion. Decide who you will trust with your life and stick with them. Always follow your gut instinct for your survival. And, as you will no doubt hear from everyone, attitude is everything. Difficult as it may be, you really need to be positive. Get busy with life and don't dwell on the cancer or it will consume you. Don't be afraid to ask those around you for help. Don't be afraid to tell them your needs and that you need positive people around you.(I had to tell a very negative friend of mine that I was sorry but I just couldn't handle her constant problems (drama is a way of life for some) and that if she couldn't talk about pleasant and/or positive things then I couldn't talk to her.) And don't forget, you are not in this alone. Whatever your choice, it will be right for YOU. Best of luck! You can do this!
In September of 2000, I was diagonsed with califications. Had a biopsy and a lympthectomy during the biopsy. My result was DCIS, stage zero. My gyn who performed the lympthectomy sint me to a breast specialist. The breast specialist said he wanted to go into my breast and remove more tissue because the margin from where the cancer was removed didn't have enough of a good margin. Afterward, I had healed, I had six weeks of radation, followed by 5 years of tomoxifen. I went to an onocologist. She put me on tomoxifen for 5 years and monitored me every three months. Since then, I had some califications were the cancer was. I had a core biopsy and the califications were removed. They put a marker in my breast so they can see the exact spot when I have my mamograms. I usually have an ultrasound as well. This is usually done every six months since the second calification was found. I am happy to report that will be nine years in September.
Don't give up. Get a second opinion. If you have a cancer clinic nearby, that would be a good place to get the second opinion. So much has changed since my occurence. They are making great strides. Enjoy life. Carefully consider your choices. Only you an make the choice. Discuss options with you doctor. Never go to the doctor alone. Bring a loved one or friend. I found out that what I heard the doctor say and what my husband heard were not always the same, since I think I was in shock. Also, my husband remembered things the doctor told us that I didn't, This is something only you can decide, but with the help of your doctor and family, you will make the right call.
During my occurence, I was very lucky to have found other women who had breast cancer to talk to. They understand what I was going through. They were there for me when I needed them. Someone to talk to and confide in. There are many support groups. Look them up and attend a meeting. That may help.
Good luck and may God Bless. You are in my prayers,
Don't give up. Get a second opinion. If you have a cancer clinic nearby, that would be a good place to get the second opinion. So much has changed since my occurence. They are making great strides. Enjoy life. Carefully consider your choices. Only you an make the choice. Discuss options with you doctor. Never go to the doctor alone. Bring a loved one or friend. I found out that what I heard the doctor say and what my husband heard were not always the same, since I think I was in shock. Also, my husband remembered things the doctor told us that I didn't, This is something only you can decide, but with the help of your doctor and family, you will make the right call.
During my occurence, I was very lucky to have found other women who had breast cancer to talk to. They understand what I was going through. They were there for me when I needed them. Someone to talk to and confide in. There are many support groups. Look them up and attend a meeting. That may help.
Good luck and may God Bless. You are in my prayers,
I think, if you have been given a choice, that it then comes back to personal preference.
I have, or rather had, DCIS. I was offered both a partial- and full mastectomy. I decided to go for the least invasive treatment.
It is more complicated when the area concerned is larger. (Or your breasts are smaller, etc). That is a considerable amount of tissue to take.
I think the decision is also affected by your goals and priorities. I guess number one, you want clear margins and to be cancer free. If this can be achieved by either operation then it comes back to personal preference.
If you are concerned about the final appearance of your breast then maybe the least invasive of the two would be better. There would still possibly be reconstruction.
It's a difficult decision to make and one only you (in consultation with your surgeon, family, friends, etc) can make.
There are also the psychological issues surrounding losing a full breast, etc.
If you want the first operation then do that and confront the other (the full mastectomy) if that is still warranted.
What did your surgeon suggest?
Mine started with a bloody nipple discharge but microcalcifications were visible on the mammogram.
I had a stereotactic breast biopsy. My results were negative.
I had my duct excised due to continuing symptoms and the report came back with dcis.
You need to go through the process of testing (and waiting) before any concrete decisions are made. Try not to make decisions out of fear and lack of information.
Good luck to you both.
Best wishes
J
I have, or rather had, DCIS. I was offered both a partial- and full mastectomy. I decided to go for the least invasive treatment.
It is more complicated when the area concerned is larger. (Or your breasts are smaller, etc). That is a considerable amount of tissue to take.
I think the decision is also affected by your goals and priorities. I guess number one, you want clear margins and to be cancer free. If this can be achieved by either operation then it comes back to personal preference.
If you are concerned about the final appearance of your breast then maybe the least invasive of the two would be better. There would still possibly be reconstruction.
It's a difficult decision to make and one only you (in consultation with your surgeon, family, friends, etc) can make.
There are also the psychological issues surrounding losing a full breast, etc.
If you want the first operation then do that and confront the other (the full mastectomy) if that is still warranted.
What did your surgeon suggest?
Mine started with a bloody nipple discharge but microcalcifications were visible on the mammogram.
I had a stereotactic breast biopsy. My results were negative.
I had my duct excised due to continuing symptoms and the report came back with dcis.
You need to go through the process of testing (and waiting) before any concrete decisions are made. Try not to make decisions out of fear and lack of information.
Good luck to you both.
Best wishes
J
Hi, I have a question as I am sched to see a General Surgeon for consult on a biopsy next week. My mammogram showed microcalcifications thus my Dr. wants me to have a biopsy. Is that hows your started, microcalcifications? I will be 38 yrs old this year and Im not scared about the biopsy or not even really the results as I have read that if the microcalcifications are cancer it is the kind you have and very early stage of cancer and highly treatable, if I have cancer I already have it and worrying isnt going to change that, that is the reality I try to live in but its not that easy sometimes not to worry. I'm going to tell the surgeon just remove the whole are that needs to be biopsied then if it's cancer, I want a masectomy. I want to be very aggressive with the treatment. Looking forward in a very sad way to hear back from you. Sorry you are having to go through such an awful experience. allison
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