Recurrence in same breast

Hi Tonya,

Thank you for your reply. I originally thought, back a few years, that if I was told I had a recurrence that I would opt for a mastectomy without reconstruction because I was concerned that a further recurrence would be harder to detect.  But now that it has happened and I raised that question with my breast surgeon he said that there is no problem detecting a recurrence if you have a reconstruction because it would usually re-occur in the breast skin or under the breast in the ribs or elsewhere in the body.  All of which he said they can detect.  So now I am asking the question of myself - do I have the mastectomy at all or take my chances of yet another recurrence and possible spread or do I have a mastectomy or a mastectomy with reconstruction.  And as you have said do I then do the one breast or both.  It is very difficult to make the decision.  I would like to know some really true statistics on the chances of yet another recurrence after our type of history.  But I guess there are no crystal balls and the doctors are doing their best based on what they do currently know.  For myself, I seem to keep feeling a gut feeling that if I do nothing it will come back.  Partly it is just a gut feel and partly from things I have been reading.

I have had an appointment with a plastic surgeon brought forward to next week.  I am going to find out what my options are for reconstruction and hopefully that will help put a few more pieces together.  From what I have been reading inplants are not always an option for anyone who has had previous radiation treatment.  I was not a big fan of that as an option for myself anyway so had been considering DIEP reconstruction if I have any.  I am thinking that if I have the mastectomy then reconstruction is probably the right choice for me as I am not a big person but have quite large breasts for my build and being with only one breast may be a bit of an issue.

Anyway, I may know more after next week's appointment.  Again, thank you for your reply.  I hope you too find some more answers soon.

Cheers, Pauline

Hi Pauline , 

i had a left lumpectomy and radiation in 2004. I was on Tamoxifen for 5 years. I had 6 months checkups with my breast surgeon with 2 operations for suspicious lumps which turned out to be lost lymph nodes. Nothing showed clearly on ultrasound. In 2013 my surgeon wasn't happy again and to be very sure before he signed me off for yearly checks I had another ultrasound and fine needle aspiration which showed a shadow. So I had  core biopsy which showed 7 DCIS masses. I had a mastectomy and chemotherapy. Last year I had  TRAM flap reconstruction which I'm not happy with the ps and I'm getting a second opinion. The operation was a good idea but the job done wasn't that good. I'm negative for the BRCA genes but cousins are positive. There are 17 family members with breast cancer , some have died as well. I'm on Femera now for the best 10 years - side affects hot flushes most of the time and arthritis and sore muscles. The choice is ultimately yours. Your body , your choice . I wanted symmetry so that's why I had the reconstruction as the fake insert was not working for me. Biggest tip I can give you is research your Drs well and choose the best. Hope your feeling positive. Bep xx

Hi Pauline, gosh we could be twins! I'm 60 now - had my first breast cancer(2cm lump) back in 2003. Had same pathology and treatment as you. Then 7yrs later(2010) it came back in same spot. I was told that there was a 8% chance of recurrence in same breast. I too, suspect the stats are way out because I know too many women with our story. I had to have a mastectomy- no choice and no recon offered.I then had to have chemo which I didn't complete and then onto Tamoxifen which I barely managed for last 4years.So here I am 6yrs on and living lopsided. I get fed up with it but DIEP recon is huge surgery and it's a one off, so do you have 1 boob or 2 boobs done so that they are even? I've waited because I'm paranoid cancer could come back in my scar line.So that's me- stuck with being undecided.Feel free to ask me any mastectomy questions etc. Tonya xx

Logic will win out but in the meantime it is such a roller coaster.  For me personally it was a mastectomy straight up with a reconstruction so I am on the better side of it and very happy with the result.  Like most of us though you have a heightened awareness of self and as you go through each testing phase you do wonder if they will find something else.

Wishing you all the best and I am sure the decision will be one that you're happy with.

Take care

Christine xx

Hi Christine,

Thanks for your reply. Yes, I am probably raising a topic that everyone prefers didn't exist but unfortunately it does and from things I have read perhaps a little more often than I used to think.

I have read a couple of posts where others have had a recurrence but have tried to do a search on the forums for recurrence and don't seem to get too many hits.  There is a main heading on the website for Secondary breast cancer but that is more for distant spreads I think rather than local.

I have joined the group for Reconstruction which is good as well.  I know that once I have made a fixed decision on which way to proceed I will accept it as the chosen option but it is just getting to that point that is hard.  Some days I am full of logic and things seems clear and then other days I wake up and think the opposite is ok and I don't really need to do anything.  But those days are becoming less as the more practical side is winning.

Thanks for your thoughts.  

Cheers, Pauline xx

Hi Pauline - reading your post highlights the fear that most of us have, recurrence. I don't have anything to offer with regard to your upcoming treatment except to say I hope you are happy with the decisions to be made and that treatment is successful.

Perhaps join the Breast Reconstruction group, if you're not already, and read some of the posts in there, that may be helpful.

Take care

Christine xx