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Mastectomy v Lumpectomy Decision

Lisa59772001
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Hello,

I’ve recently been diagnosed with lobular ER+ PR+ cancer in my left breast and an area of low-grade DCIS cancer in the same breast.

There has been a further biopsy of a lump in the same breast that has come back uncertain and the consultant wants to complete a stereo guided vacuum to complete further tests.  If this comes back ok I’ll be able to just have a lumpectomy of the 2 current areas of cancer if the vacuum come back as cancer then I’ll need a mastectomy. 

The process has been going on since the end of August, I am find the waiting, and now a third lot of tests very hard to deal with, the consultant has let me think over night on this as to whether I go ahead with the mastectomy rather than further tests in order to move things on.  I’m not sure what to do – as I want to feel like progress is being made but don’t want to make any rash decisions that I might regret as I’m unsure as what the outcome is going to feel and look like in either case.

Any advice or thoughts would be gratefully received.

Thanks

Lisa

Parents

  • Hi there Lisa and thanks for your post

    I am sorry to hear about your situation and appreciate how difficult it must be to decide what to do for the best.

    As you say without knowing the exact make up of this other area of tissue it is almost impossible to make a treatment choice.

    If a repeat in a sample confirms there are cancer cells present then a mastectomy will be the surgery of choice if not a lumpectomy.

    Deciding to have a mastectomy when it may not be needed at this stage is not an easy choice to make. However at the same time you have been waiting a while already and needing to wait further for another biopsy and the results will also delay having surgery.

    Have you asked the specialist or specialist nurse what they would do if they were in your situation, given the information they have already? It may be worth talking it through further before making a decision.

    I'm sorry we can't be of more help or tell you what to do however we are here so if you wish to talk it through do give us a call on the helpline. Our number is 0808 800 4040 and we're here weekdays 9-5.

    Wishing you all the best,

    Naomi

Reply

  • Hi there Lisa and thanks for your post

    I am sorry to hear about your situation and appreciate how difficult it must be to decide what to do for the best.

    As you say without knowing the exact make up of this other area of tissue it is almost impossible to make a treatment choice.

    If a repeat in a sample confirms there are cancer cells present then a mastectomy will be the surgery of choice if not a lumpectomy.

    Deciding to have a mastectomy when it may not be needed at this stage is not an easy choice to make. However at the same time you have been waiting a while already and needing to wait further for another biopsy and the results will also delay having surgery.

    Have you asked the specialist or specialist nurse what they would do if they were in your situation, given the information they have already? It may be worth talking it through further before making a decision.

    I'm sorry we can't be of more help or tell you what to do however we are here so if you wish to talk it through do give us a call on the helpline. Our number is 0808 800 4040 and we're here weekdays 9-5.

    Wishing you all the best,

    Naomi

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