I have just been diagnosed with invasive carcinoma grade 1, small (about 1) at 2 0’clock and have to decide pretty quickly whether to have just a lumpectomy or mastectomy. I am terrified of radiotherapy or chemotherapy and terrified of the risk of recurrence. I’m early 40s with young children. I’m leaning towards a mastectomy for those reasons, but surgeons have advised that initial indications suggest a lumpectomy with radiotherapy will be sufficient. Have spoken to plastic and a mastectomy and reconstruction is possible though obviously major and multiple surgeries. Lumpectomy is simpler but feels like so much risk and unknowns. I don’t know how I’ll make this decision.

Hi @Xyzabc I had a lumpectomy and radiation. The radiation is nothing to be afraid of, it doesn’t hurt at all and to be honest I found the whole ritual of going in every day, lying down and doing the deep breathing, all quite relaxing and a little bit like going in for a facial or leg waxing (but not painful). You need to moisturise your skin and it gets a bit red but no big deal.I also struggled with the decision because I had quite a few multifocal cancers, but I am happy I still have my boob and that I didn’t have to have a huge operation that would have incapacitated me for a few months, and derailed my business. I didn’t think I would care but six months on I am glad the boobs are still there and I can feel them. Scars minimal. There is a 20% chance my cancer comes back, but an 80% chance it won’t so I am happy to keep an eye on it and have more ops if I am in the unlucky 20%.The doctors say survival rates are identical for both options.

I do know I’m so lucky to have a choice, and to have options. I’m so grateful that it’s not more advanced and hasn’t spread. I’m just feeling so scared

I went for a mastectomy. I had my surgery in April. Microcalcifications on the mamogram suggested an area of around 10mm, but the MRI showed it was 35mm at it's largest. This was still fine for a lumpectomy, but if I hadn't had the MRI they would not have got clear margins.I have anxiety and my surgeon was very supportive of my reasons for a mastectomy. As it meant I would most likely not need radiotherapy, I could have the reconstruction in the one surgery. I chose an implant for the shorter recovery/only one area to recover. If my nodes had not come back clear, I would have required radio at the risk of causing capsular contracture.The public hospital wait was a bit longer due to getting the recon at the same time (about 4 weeks). I'm very happy with the result and have posted in the Choosing Breast Reconstruction group if you want to check it out.I live about 75km from Melbourne, 35 minutes drive from the nearest location for radiotherapy (but 50 minutes from where I work) and I'm a primary teacher. So it's not the sort of job you can leave early, switch to flexi time, take 2 hour lunch breaks etc. Which meant radiotherapy would require multiple weeks off from work. So I took my 'weeks off' at the start to recover from surgery (7 weeks).I was also a candidate for oncotype testing to see if chemo would be effective. It cost $3000 but, since I've no sick leave left now, paid for itself when it showed chemo would not be recommended. Mine was hormone positive and I am now on tamoxifen. I plan to stay on that for 5 years, then switch to an AI for another 5 years. I'm 46, so fairly 'young' in the BC world.I'm very happy with my decision. I know it's what I needed to do for my anxiety.

Hi thereThis is such a personal decision!in my case my first consult with my breast cancer surgeon he talked about my options of a lumpectomy or mastectomy.At that stage it appeared I had a 4.5 cm lobular cancer and I had big breasts ( E cup).Further tests showed it was in fact 5.5 cm.My surgeon still said it was my choice but if he did a lumpectomy it might not get clear margins and I might then need a mastectomy anyway.I decided to get the mastectomy and then actually got the other one done and had DIEP flap reconstruction.I am 63.Even though it is an intensely personal decision your medical team can help you with the pros and cons.For example in your case, the size of the tumour is small and now you will be part of a more intensive scanning regime so if there is another cancer in that or the other breast it should be caught early.In my case , part of my reason in getting the double mastectomy was that my breasts were dense and my cancer was not picked up on a mammogram so I was very wary of the screening technology picking up another one.All the best with whatever you decide.if you go to the mastectomy route it would be worth joining the “choosing breast reconstruction” private group on here.I found it really helpful .

I forgot to say I had to have radiotherapy ( but not chemotherapy) due to the size of my tumour.I had 28 sessions and sailed through it .I used the strata xrt cream as I couldn’t have the mepital due to other issues but if you do have radiotherapy there are lots of posts on here about that.

Lumpectomy or mastectomy? | BCNA Online Network

arpie
Member
4 years ago
Terrific to hear you are going so well, @Xyzabc and great news, no rads!
Julez1958
Member
4 years ago
Great to hear!🌺
Xyzabc
Member
4 years ago
Just to update, I’m 10 weeks out from a double mastectomy and it was absolutely the right decision for me. Im healing well and did not have to have radiotherapy, but am on Tamoxifen
Julez1958
Member
4 years ago
Hi @Xyzabc, I am glad you are happy with your decision and recovering well.
Once I had made my decision I felt a great sense of relief.
Be kind to yourself.🌺
arpie
Member
4 years ago
Good on you @Xyzabc - make haste slowly - and take care of yourself xx. terrific that you are not in pain xx
Xyzabc
Member
4 years ago
Hi @Kripa I’m on day 3 of recovering from my surgery. I ended up having a double
mastectomy- for a whole lot of reasons I felt it was the right choice for me and my family. I’m feeling so much better about it all now - having to make the decision and the anticipation of it all was very stressful but now I’m just focused on recovery. I’m not in as much pain as I feared I might be and although I know I’ve got a long road ahead I’m feeling positive about it. Just taking it all one day at a time.
arpie
Member
4 years ago
Hi @Kripa - welcome to the club no-one wants to join .... I'm glad you've found us. Ask away any question & we'll do our best to give you an honest answer. That is fantastic that you've not had to wait long for your surgery!

Where abouts are you? Town/city? If you add it to your profile, members living nearby may be able to help you with specific services that they are aware of in your area.

check out this post for lots of info on different threads on the blog that you may like to look at .... as well as down the bottom, some tips on what to take with you to hospital when you go.
https://onlinenetwork.bcna.org.au/discussion/23477/a-big-welcome-to-all-our-new-members#latest

I'll suggest to one of the moderators @Mez_BCNA so that you get your own 'thread' so you can continue to add to it, as your story progresses ...... yet you'll still able to follow the conversation on this one as well, with @Xyzabc's progress.

@Xyzabc - how are you going with your decision making? Have you had your surgery yet? I hope you are going well xx. take care xx
Kripa
Member
4 years ago
Hi @Xyzabc was reading ur posts, i am also recently been diagnosed a week ago , invasive ductal carcinioma left side and 1.4mm lump. saw the surgeon yesterday and surgery scheduled for Monday. I too asked about Mastectomy, but have been advised its not needed. part of me just wants to get it done, but also part of me wants to the right thing. all happening fast around me.
i do have family history and this is estrogen and progestron positive.
what did u finally decide? would love to know if its not a problem, fine either way,
Keeping_positiv
Member
4 years ago
Hi @Xyzabc sorry you find yourself here and with having to make a decision on which way to go. I also had thought perhaps I would have them both taken off when first diagnosed, but after all the clinical staging I was given the choice that it is only necessary to have a double lumpectomy and lymph node clearance, so I went with that option.

I also had chemo and radiotherapy, and to be honest I found the radiotherapy alright, although I was tired, (probably just cumulative from previous chemo and still having Herceptin infusions), but I got through six weeks with some burns which healed very quickly.

Whatever you choose make sure it is your decision, and not based on fear!

I agree with what @Halla says...................... The doctors say survival rates are identical for both options.

Take care and best wishes and we are here for you. xx
Halla
Member
4 years ago
Hi @Xyzabc I had a lumpectomy and radiation. The radiation is nothing to be afraid of, it doesn’t hurt at all and to be honest I found the whole ritual of going in every day, lying down and doing the deep breathing, all quite relaxing and a little bit like going in for a facial or leg waxing (but not painful). You need to moisturise your skin and it gets a bit red but no big deal.

I also struggled with the decision because I had quite a few multifocal cancers, but I am happy I still have my boob and that I didn’t have to have a huge operation that would have incapacitated me for a few months, and derailed my business. I didn’t think I would care but six months on I am glad the boobs are still there and I can feel them. Scars minimal.

There is a 20% chance my cancer comes back, but an 80% chance it won’t so I am happy to keep an eye on it and have more ops if I am in the unlucky 20%.

The doctors say survival rates are identical for both options.