Double mastectomy vs close monitoring??
I am currently awaiting gene testing results but am looking at my options. Of the ladies who have tnbc, and not got a faulty bcra gene result, who opted for mastectomy or chose close monitoring? What ...
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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.
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.