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Selecting Treatment

A MyBCTeam Member asked a question šŸ’­
Calgary, AB

I have idc with a grade 3 tumor and my surgeon says I can either have a lumpectomy with chemo and radiation or mastectomy. he says the survival rates are the same. Does this make sense to others? I thought a mastectomy would guarantee no further ca ?

April 3, 2014 (edited)
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A MyBCTeam Member

I chose a BMX because I didn't want to deal with radiation. In the end, they knew of only 1 tumor but when the breast went to pathology they found a second tumor and a large area of DCIS between the tumors. If my surgeon had just done a lumpectomy, I would have lost half my lower breast to get clear margins.
I was told that the survival rates are similar but I wasn't emotionally attached to my breasts so I willingly chose the more radical but symmetrical option to have a BMX.
It's been 8 months and I have no regrets about my choice to be flat.

April 4, 2014
A MyBCTeam Member

I had high grade 3 as well as her2+ IDC. I only removed the one breast and did reconstruction. I was glad I kept my other breast. Unfortunately with an invasive cancer there are never any guarantees. But history shows that more often metastasis occur more often to other organs than other breast. Normally other breasts cancers to other breast are NEW primaries. I have breast MRI and mammo every six months. I'm ok with that close surveillance.

April 4, 2014
A MyBCTeam Member

The survival rates are the same - but there are no "guarantees." I had a bilateral mastectomy and 7 years alter got cancer again. Totally different breast cancer. The point is: make the right choice for you now. You can't predict the future.

April 12, 2014
A MyBCTeam Member

I had a lumpectomy with rads, and chemo. My diagnosis was stage I, grade I, IDC. I was 26 at the time of diagnosis. A double mastectomy was only on the table for me while we waited for genetic test. When everything came back negative for mutations, the suggested route was a lumpectomy. I have a mammogram and MRIs as follow ups. It is important to keep in mind there's NOTHING that's 100%. Even with a mastectomy not all breast tissue is removed, so there's always a possibility that it could come back. Therefore, you gotta make the best decision for you.

April 4, 2014
A MyBCTeam Member

I had a small IDC...I said take it all! I had a bmx with immediate diep recon...woke up with new boobs made from my own flesh and a flat belly! Recovery was very difficult but I wouldn't change a thing.

April 8, 2014

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