Same here. Diagnosed 29 March with grade 3 TNBC. Have had 2 lumpectomies but no clear margin because of DCIS around the invasive cancer. They are now recommending a third lumpectomy which would be 27 July then 3 weeks for results so, if I do this, I won't start chemo until end of August/Sept - 5 months after diagnosis, so much for catching it early. And they won't let me speak to the oncologist to understand the risk of this additional 6 week delay. They will only let me speak to an oncologist if I give up on my boob and say I will have a mastectomy. This is nuts. The surgeon doesn't know the risk. I am being asked to trust an oncologist who has never met me and who can't even pick up the phone to explain why they think this is an acceptable risk. And I've been all this time with no one to talk to about my cancer, the only information I have has come from the internet. This rule doesn't apply when you are on potentially your third lumpectomy and over 3 months into cancer with no real information. If I do have a third lumpectomy, even if they get a clear margin this time, it won't mean anything because they don't know if there is more DCIS elsewhere they haven't seen yet so what is the oncologist waiting for? There's so much delay built into the NHS "pathways" and they are applied too rigidly. 

Hi,

Totally with you on this. Having a 4th lumpectomy on 28th. Never spoken to an oncologist. No idea if I need chemo or not. One person (BC nusre) says yes, other person (surgeon) says no. So, no clearer on what is going to happen than I was back in February when I was first told it was cancer. My surgeon was on holiday a few weeks ago when I went for my 3rd lumpectomy results. Had a registrar and BC nurse tell me I needed a mastectomy (my case had been discussed by 'the board'). Last week, I had a meeting with my surgeon, I thought to discuss it further. She disagrees with 'the board' and is doing another lumpectomy. My brain hurts!

Although my husband thinks this is great news, I'm now facing another 5-6 week wait to see if margins are clear. I feel sick constantly and having pretty bad mood swings. Like you, I'm also worried with each day that passes. Is it spreading? Getting worse?

Have you had any body scans? I haven't.

Nicky

I had a Breast MRI which showed nothing. But it didn't show the DCIS that is there and was around the invasive cancer. So it doesn't give me any assurance there is no more DCIS in there that we can't see, even if they were to get a clear margin on a third lumpectomy. I am contacting the PALS patient liaison service to put my case to see if that helps. 

I really feel for you, keep pushing for more information xx

I really feel for you, keep pushing for more information xx