Lumpectomy vs. Mastectomy
Dear all, I was diagnosed 2 months ago and I am getting anxious about not having had surgery yet, but I am still confused. I have a IDC, estrogen and progesterone positive and Her2 negative. Around 11mm. Ki65 of 5%. They had to do 3 additional biopsies but they all turned benign. I am 45. I have dense breast, which are harder to follow and functional radiological tests are needed (MRI). Since I only have a small tumor, lumpectomy was offered first but they also would accept a mastectomy if I want to. My thinking was: I am having a lumpectomy and then mastectomy if I want when I am ready or need it. But this argument was ruined when I learned that lumpectomy goes with radiotherapy and radiotherapy hurts your skin and prevents or limits certain reconstructive options. Therefore, if i ever want or need mastectomy with reconstruction, I will likely have to opt for the one done with your own tissue, which apparently is way more complicated. I am unsure about mastectomy because I am not familiar with its side effects, the way reconstruction feels and looks, etc. Doctors in Spain seem to tend to do lumpectomy when possible. I am worried about doing lumpectomy and then having another tumor and having a complicated mastectomy/ reconstruction experience. Any insights are welcome! Cheers to all
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I'm from the school of less is best if possible. This gives you a chance to have other treatment down the line if need be. I had a lumpectomy, chemo and rads in 2011. My breasts have looked great for the past 14 years and I had never regretted having the lumpectomy. Of course with that surgery, I had my mammos every years and many scares in the first few years.
Now my ER+ has come back and it is multi-focal. There are at least 2 tumors and it is a local recurrence. I cannot have radiation again so lumpectomy is out. Of course at this point the mastectomy was offered. I want symmetry and I do not want to be following up with mammos any more. I'm lucky I didn't have a metastasis since statistically there was more of a chance of that than a local recurrence. So, in 3 weeks I will have a DMX. Because I want reconstruction and the failure rate of implants is high with radiated breasts, I am having DIEP surgery.
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I opted for lumpectomy and radiation in 2008 - DCIS. No chemo. I took tamoxifen for 3 years, until the fatigue was too much. All was well until this year - 16 years later. I just had a BIRAD 5 ultrasound 1.2 cm spiculated mass. I will have a biopsy on Dec 17. I also have a MOHS surgery for basal skin cancer on my nose on December 19 - that is also a recurrence. I am 68 and will opt for a single mastectomy at this point. I think…….I will put off the decision on reconstruction as the nose issue may required more than one surgery. Im a bit of a mess…..but pushing forward!
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