Double mastectomy vs close monitoring??

I was diagnosed with TNBC in March 2016 (at 54 yrs) and gene testing was negative for BRCA. I thought long and hard and asked many questions of my surgeon, oncologist and breast care nurses about lumpectomy versus mastectomy. As I had lymph node involvement, radiotherapy and chemo were always part of the plan, regardless of my surgery decisions. I chose a lumpectomy, which both doctors supported. I preferred least invasive surgery and the lumpectomy was statistically said to give me as good an outcome as mastectomy. I would expect close monitoring even if I had chosen a mastectomy. The doctors indicated some benefit with double mastectomy (less monitoring/ less chance of a new cancer developing in the other breast), but this would have meant removing a currently healthy breast. This didn't seem the right decision for me, once I had weighed up the pros and cons of further surgery.  And because i don't have the gene mutation, My doctors weren't recommending this. But everyone is different  - both in terms of pathology and prognosis and what's considered do-able. It' s a very personal decision that I hope will be easier for you once you have as much information as possible about your own circumstances and advice from your doctors. 

I agree with @melclarity @Tarnya74 
i am opting for a double mastectomy and immediate reconstruction and I do not have the braca gene. My reasoning is the same as Mel. The fear of reoccurring and I obviously know there is still a small chance but being young And being a worrier at the best of times, I am choosing mastectomy. I am not sure where you live Tarnya but I had an amazing experience in Sydney with a specialist that works in westmead (I saw him at a private hospital) and it helped make my decision with his vast knowledge and understanding of the situation. Have you joined the reclaim your curves Facebook page? It's good to connect about surgery on there too! X

Thanks Donna. I am near Kingaroy. I spoke briefly with my surgeon this week and have an appointment to speak to him in 2wks about my options. I am leaning towards mastectomy because i do not want to risk going through all this again

I'm triple negative invasive lobular. It was in 3 sentinel nodes that were removed at the time of my wide local excision. A few weeks later, it was detected in a node in my neck. So instead of the planned mastectomy and axillary clearance, I was sent to chemo and then radiation (got a week and half left of that) my chemo oncologist and surgeon have agreed no need for mastectomy. There is a ? on some nodes in my armpit but waiting for my ct after radiation to determine that. Tarnya where are you located, I'm from Hervey Bay (pm if you like :smile: )

All comments are gratefully accepted

Sorry, I've just re-read the original question and I've probably missed the point here a bit. Feel free to ignore.

I worried a lot about this decision too. From the research I've done the lumpectomy plus radiotherapy is at least as good, if not slightly better, than a full mastectomy in terms of long term outcomes. Part of that is probably some selection bias in the studies (if you're eligible for a lumpectomy then your cancer is probably smaller and less advanced than if you need a mastectomy, but plenty of women still go for the mastectomy even if they could have had a lumpectomy).

But I think there's also something to be said for keeping surgeries as minor as possible so your body can heal quickly. I ended up getting a lumpectomy, and my recovery time was about 2 weeks, instead of the 4-6 that I'd have needed with a full mastectomy (especially if you're getting any kind of immediate reconstruction). This meant we could start chemotherapy much sooner than if I'd had a mastectomy.

Thanks. I just want as much information as possible so once my gene test results are back I can make an informed decision 

  Me again.  I had a double Tumor. Stage one and grade three. I had 3 months of heavy chemo (doxorubicin and cyclophosphamide) and three months of Paclitaxel.  Followed by one month of Radiothreapy. Last Monday I had a mammo and ultra sound, my first since diagnosis, on both breasts. My GPs receptionist called to say it was clear. Although the surgeon who requested it and said he would call me, I have not heard from him. Just hope my all clear was correct. 
From what I read from the lovely ladies on this site everyone is different and treatment is different for everyone. We have to put our trust in the professionals and consentrate on getting through this damn awful thing.
Take care.
Anne-Marie