As the ladies have said, each case is individual. I had a lumpectomy, chemo and soon I will have radiation for my particular cancer. I am also HER2 pos, grade 3, so am on Herceptin injections. There was never any discussion about me having a mastectomy due to the nature of the 2cm tumour, Er neg and Pr neg. (Total axillary clearance - 3/16 nodes cancerous - so stage 2 cancer.) One thing by surgeon did say was that having the surgery, chemo and radiation was the equivalent of a mastectomy for me. I urge you to keep asking your surgeon questions, and you may need to do this through your breast nurse. The breast nurse is invaluable and on call or will get back to you very promptly. They also can act as a go-between you and the surgeon or help you make further appointments with the surgeon before you take any action at all. Don't stop asking questions until you are happy with the info you're given. xxx
