"Why don't you just have the breast off?"

So true Chris,

Everyone's circumstances, cancer, prognosis and personal wishes are different and everyone needs to make up their own mind. I guess that's the short version of what I was trying to say.

I also find it very distressing when women are misled into believing that mastectomy will give them their best chance of survival when this is not true for their particular circumstances. Certainly, for some women it's the best possible medical choice but there now seems to be a widespread misconception that having a breast, or both breasts removed will always provide us with a better chance of survival. This is not true. 

Before anyone decides to have major surgery I believe they are entitled to the facts, not just the opinions. If I hadn't known I would have headed straight for a double mastectomy. Thankfully I had a surgeon that took the time to explain the situation to me. Not everyone is so lucky.