Newly diagnosed invasive carcinoma stage 2
Hi there , new to this .... Diagnosed with invasive ductal carcinoma in my right breast . Had a lumpectomy 3 weeks ago , 2 nodes removed and 18mm Tumor .Nodes were clear . Had satellite nodules in my...
Forum Discussion
Hi Nicksta. Your diagnosis and early treatment is pretty much exactly the same as mine. I had a 16mm tumour in my right breast, a wide local excision with a sentinel node biopsy, no spread to the lymph nodes, no clear margins so a re-excision a week later that found a 4cm dogleg of DCIS.
I feel your pain re the waiting (we all do, it's the absolute pits). I was diagnosed in December, all the doctors disappeared for a month and the multiple public holidays delayed test results and there were other complications.
Taken at face value, there would have been some radiation therapy and that would have been it. However I have a bad family history of breast cancer. My mother had it at my age, and my sister died from it two years ago. So after a test to see if chemo would be curative, I had four months of that.
From my very first meeting with my breast surgeon (which was my diagnosis) a double mastectomy was in play. My family history, my responsibilities (I'm raising my sister's children with my own & caring for my father-in-law) meant that I met no opposition from my surgeon; in fact he raised it.
It was a bumpy ride from there. Not an easy decision for me, to remove my breasts. It's a mutilation. There were a variety of complications meaning my journey to the decision was beset with deep upset. I had counselling, which helped. Many conversations, much thought and sleepless nights later and I went ahead with it.
Seven weeks ago I had a double mastectomy & DIEP reconstruction (I didn't want to be flat). It was a nine hour operation and so far my recovery has not been entirely smooth. I really miss my nipples, the myriad of sensations they gave me.
It turned out there was more DCIS in my right breast. Neither this nor the DCIS discovered in my re-excision ever showed up on any mammogram or ultrasound. My breast surgeon was not keen on me having an MRI. It would have cost me a fortune as I didn't qualify for a subsidised one (absurd), and he felt that because they show absolutely everything, they can lead you down a rabbit hole of worry and overtreatment. I would have been fine to insist if I'd wanted to have one (he made that clear), but given the course of action we were contemplating, it was a moot point.
Has your surgeon explained to you the statistics, the odds of you developing another breast cancer, or a recurrence? It's a massive decision to take. Do your research, ask all the questions. It's important not to rush into it, though I completely understand the urge. I found writing down the reasons helped clarify my mind.
Once you are sure of your position you can have a more in depth conversation with your surgeon. Some doctors are more open to prophylactic mastectomies than others. Ultimately you have to do what's right for you. It's your life.
I get your worry and paranoia, we all do. A mastectomy reduces your chances by a lot, but never completely. In breast cancer there are no guarantees. Hang in there, and let us know how you get on. K xox
I feel your pain re the waiting (we all do, it's the absolute pits). I was diagnosed in December, all the doctors disappeared for a month and the multiple public holidays delayed test results and there were other complications.
Taken at face value, there would have been some radiation therapy and that would have been it. However I have a bad family history of breast cancer. My mother had it at my age, and my sister died from it two years ago. So after a test to see if chemo would be curative, I had four months of that.
From my very first meeting with my breast surgeon (which was my diagnosis) a double mastectomy was in play. My family history, my responsibilities (I'm raising my sister's children with my own & caring for my father-in-law) meant that I met no opposition from my surgeon; in fact he raised it.
It was a bumpy ride from there. Not an easy decision for me, to remove my breasts. It's a mutilation. There were a variety of complications meaning my journey to the decision was beset with deep upset. I had counselling, which helped. Many conversations, much thought and sleepless nights later and I went ahead with it.
Seven weeks ago I had a double mastectomy & DIEP reconstruction (I didn't want to be flat). It was a nine hour operation and so far my recovery has not been entirely smooth. I really miss my nipples, the myriad of sensations they gave me.
It turned out there was more DCIS in my right breast. Neither this nor the DCIS discovered in my re-excision ever showed up on any mammogram or ultrasound. My breast surgeon was not keen on me having an MRI. It would have cost me a fortune as I didn't qualify for a subsidised one (absurd), and he felt that because they show absolutely everything, they can lead you down a rabbit hole of worry and overtreatment. I would have been fine to insist if I'd wanted to have one (he made that clear), but given the course of action we were contemplating, it was a moot point.
Has your surgeon explained to you the statistics, the odds of you developing another breast cancer, or a recurrence? It's a massive decision to take. Do your research, ask all the questions. It's important not to rush into it, though I completely understand the urge. I found writing down the reasons helped clarify my mind.
Once you are sure of your position you can have a more in depth conversation with your surgeon. Some doctors are more open to prophylactic mastectomies than others. Ultimately you have to do what's right for you. It's your life.
I get your worry and paranoia, we all do. A mastectomy reduces your chances by a lot, but never completely. In breast cancer there are no guarantees. Hang in there, and let us know how you get on. K xox