I’m a new member to the group
Hi there, I’ve just joined the group. I was diagnosed with stage 1 breast cancer at the end of November, I’m 40 years old & in good health & there is no family history. Thankfully I caught it early...
Forum Discussion
Hi there
I had a 5.5cm lobular tumour ( I assume yours is ducts which is the more “ regular” breast cancer) that didn’t show up on mammograms.
I also had no family history of breast cancer.
initially we thought it was 4.5 cm and at the first consult with my ( very experienced) breast cancer surgeon he talked about a choice between a lumpectomy and mastectomy.
I had E cup breasts and was going to get the other one reduced at the same time.
When it turned out that the tumour was 5.5cm after the MRI and added to that the fact that lobular is more like a spider web than a nice neat lump , my surgeon said that the likelihood was if he did a lumpectomy he wouldn’t get clear margins and I would need a mastectomy in any event.
I did actually talk to a lady who was a friend of one of my good friends who had two lumpectomies and the surgeon couldn’t get clear Margins and she actually opted for a double mastectomy and DIEP flap reconstruction which is the path I eventually took.
Everyone is different and these are intensely personal decisions, my breast cancer surgeon said if I wanted to go the lumpectomy route he would give it a go but I needed to understand the risks.
As it turned out the cancer was spread right up to the top of the breast and he said a mastectomy was the right choice after the surgery,
I was lucky it had not spread to my lymph nodes so I didn’t have chemo but did have radiotherapy ( mainly due to the size of the tumour) .
It’s a shitfest that’s for sure but now I’m 5 months post my reconstructive surgery with C cup breasts I am very happy.
Well as happy as I can be in the circumstances ( I’d rather this had never happened).
I did talk to my ( amazing) female GP as well as a breast care nurse to help me make my decision .
All the best with whatever course you decide.
I had a 5.5cm lobular tumour ( I assume yours is ducts which is the more “ regular” breast cancer) that didn’t show up on mammograms.
I also had no family history of breast cancer.
initially we thought it was 4.5 cm and at the first consult with my ( very experienced) breast cancer surgeon he talked about a choice between a lumpectomy and mastectomy.
I had E cup breasts and was going to get the other one reduced at the same time.
When it turned out that the tumour was 5.5cm after the MRI and added to that the fact that lobular is more like a spider web than a nice neat lump , my surgeon said that the likelihood was if he did a lumpectomy he wouldn’t get clear margins and I would need a mastectomy in any event.
I did actually talk to a lady who was a friend of one of my good friends who had two lumpectomies and the surgeon couldn’t get clear Margins and she actually opted for a double mastectomy and DIEP flap reconstruction which is the path I eventually took.
Everyone is different and these are intensely personal decisions, my breast cancer surgeon said if I wanted to go the lumpectomy route he would give it a go but I needed to understand the risks.
As it turned out the cancer was spread right up to the top of the breast and he said a mastectomy was the right choice after the surgery,
I was lucky it had not spread to my lymph nodes so I didn’t have chemo but did have radiotherapy ( mainly due to the size of the tumour) .
It’s a shitfest that’s for sure but now I’m 5 months post my reconstructive surgery with C cup breasts I am very happy.
Well as happy as I can be in the circumstances ( I’d rather this had never happened).
I did talk to my ( amazing) female GP as well as a breast care nurse to help me make my decision .
All the best with whatever course you decide.