Hi there

This is my first time on this forum & after searching around for a while I found your post.  You may have stopped being online here as I can see it was 2017 when you were chatting.  

But just in case, I'll write anyway.  I have in the last month had a very similar diagnosis to you.

Mid range DCIS, so had a lumpectomy.  Margins were not clear unfortunately.  I am trying to work out whether to risk a secod lumpectomy, but surgeon thinks that might not be a good idea as am only an A cup.  So mastecomy possibly the better route.  Don't know which reconstruction route to go down.  Probably unfortunately not enough fat on tummy for a DIEP flap.

Would love your thoughts if you happen to come across this.  And hope all went really well for you!

Thank you x

Hi there

This is my first time on this forum & after searching around for a while I found your post.  You may have stopped being online here as I can see it was 2017 when you were chatting.  

But just in case, I'll write anyway.  I have in the last month had a very similar diagnosis to you.

Mid range DCIS, so had a lumpectomy.  Margins were not clear unfortunately.  I am trying to work out whether to risk a secod lumpectomy, but surgeon thinks that might not be a good idea as am only an A cup.  So mastecomy possibly the better route.  Don't know which reconstruction route to go down.  Probably unfortunately not enough fat on tummy for a DIEP flap.

Would love your thoughts if you happen to come across this.  And hope all went really well for you!

Thank you x

Hi LaraH,

Tinchytigger's post was a while ago and, I hope that she will still reply. Just in case I thought that I would add my tuppence worth. I am so sorry to hear that you find yourself in this position. I had a similar experience 10 years ago. I was diagnosed with Pure Mucinous Breast Cancer.  My margins were not clear following a lumpectomy. My surgeon assured me that he had realised this at the time of surgery and removed another slither and that he was certain that all was clear. He assured me that, despite the pathology report, there was no need for any further surgery. I took Tamoxifen for a year after that.

Six months later I discovered a larger lump in my other breast, which was fortunately benign. Almost a year to the day after my original surgery, I discovered another lump in my original breast and this time I wasn't so lucky. I had a double mastectomy, followed by Letrozole for 6½ years. I stopped taking this in JUly 2017. Unfortunately, I couldn't have any reconstruction as a result of scarring for previous non-cancer-related surgery. 

It is impossible to make an informed decision about what procedure to have without full knowledge of the vagaries of cancer. There are so many factors that have to be taken into account, such as your age, general health, any other health conditions, type and grade of cancer, etc. Looking these procedures up on the internet doesn't alow for any of these factors, so you are probably best to be guided by your care team, who are already fully conversant with these. 

Could they bring a flap from your back instead of your tummy? Whatever decision you make, I hope that it is the right one for you. I have certainly never regretted mine.

Please keep in touch and let us know what choice you make. We are always here for you.

Kind regards,

Jolamine xx