Get it out now or wait and think?
Hi, I'm newly diagnosed hormone positive her2 negative. I had my first appointment with my surgeon and was told my diagnosis a week ago. I was told to consider lumpectomy with radiation or mastectomy....
Forum Discussion
Sliv said:
Another question if you don't mind, does anyone know at what point they do a scan to see if it has spread?
I've had an MRI with contrast is that a they need? What if I have to wait a month to get this lump out and then they do PET scan oy to find out its spread? Or would they already know?
Ta
Sliv
With regards to seeing if its spread, for me (and I think this is standard?) they remove a lymph node or 2 to check this, instead of doing further scans. I've been told my next routine scan will be12 months since I was diagnosed. Now that does seem like a long wait.
Regarding the wait for an appointment. ER+PR+ HER2- here. I went to my appointment expecting to be offered a lumpectomy & radiation, only to be offered a double mastectomy and told by the surgeon' you know in your heart what you should do' we thought, umm, we have no idea what we should do with that suddenly being sprung on us.
So instead of booking in the lumpectomy at that appointment, we left to consider and weigh up both options.
We got a second opinion, talked to some people and proceeded to opt for the normal procedure for my diagnosis, being lumpectomy + radiation.
However, having that option thrown in to the mix and having to go away and think about it meant my surgery didn't take place until 2 months after diagnosis (public system).
I felt quite anxious at the time, just wanting it done worrying if it would grow. Which it didn't - it actually shrunk (or was mis-measured) by a third.
Having gone through this a big lesson for me is, in hindsight I am actually SO glad I had time to take it in, research, investigate options, and learn about treatment, and side effects.
Having that time was actually a blessing, it's very easy especially in private to be offered extreme options, possibly under pressure, with decisions made in fear while you're still in shock and find yourself having surgery just days later. Just my perspective from my experience.
If it was a more aggressive type of cancer, you would probably have been given that first appointment without a choice.
I hope everything goes smoothly for you.