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Lobular Breast Cancer just diagnosed. What treatment????

ChrisF
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Hi everyone.

I have very recently had lobular cancer diagnosed in my right breast. Yesterday I was offered 3 different treatments: Full Mastectomy, Partial Mastectomy then radiotherapy or hormone treatment for up to 9 months to (hopefully) shrink tumour then lumpectomy & radiotherapry. I don't know what to do! Half of me thinks get rid of it all, have a full mastecomy (and maybe reconstruction) but then half of me thinks I should avoid major surgery if I can and take the hormone treatment. What would you do? Even better if you have had to make the same decision - what did you decide? Thanks for any advice, I'm 48 by the way and happily married, so losing my breast would not be the end of the world. Thay don't think my lymph nodes are affected but wil check when I have surgery - they looked normal on ultrasound and MRI.

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    Hi ChrisF

    I was diagnosed with lobular breast cancer in my right breast  in 2010. I was offered the choice of a lumpectomy or mastectomy of right breast. I was told that if I choose lumpectomy there was a 70% chance I might not need the mastectomy. Well I took the lumpectomy but unfortunately the margins were not sufficient and I went on to have a mastectomy of my right breast. During surgery lymph nodes were found to be affected so were removed. I then went on to have chemo and radiotherapy and then have taken letrozole for 5 years. my cancer was grade 111A and I believe most treatments depend on grade. I have now been cancer free for 5 years, Like you I have been happily married for many years (47) but I am older 66 - 61 when diagnosed and thought reconstruction unnecessary. I wish you all the very best whatever you decide my only advice would be to have as many discusions about your options as you feel you need with the breast care team at your hospital before making your decision

    Jan x

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    Hi Chris, sorry to hear of your recent diagnosis. It must be very hard to make such a decision while you are still reeling from the news so you are very wise to ask as many people as you can, both medical professionals and other sufferers who have been down the same road..

    As Jan has said, a lot depends on the grade, size and location of the tumour.

    I had grade 2 lobular in one breast and grade 1 tubular in the other. Because my tumours were relatively small and, like you, it did not appear the lymph nodes were affected, I had lumpectomies and senitnel node biopsies on both. After the op the margins were thankfully clear and my lymph nodes were fine.

    I then had radiotherapy and I have now started on hormone treatment.

    I hope this has helped and that you also hear from others. It's a very personal decision and clearly the aim is to get rid of the cancer in the best way possible for you.

    Take care and do come back and let us know how you get on.  Sue xx

     

     

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