[ Post a Response | Surgery / Reconstruction Board ]
Posted by Sherry on 10/6/2009, 4:38 pm, in reply to "decisions!!!!!"
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All of the decisions we have to make concerning treatment are so difficult.
Here is my story.
2002 lumpectomy, followed by a mastectomy 30 days later as they did not get clean margins.
Mastecomty showed a second tumor. So one tumor was over 5cm and the second over 2cm.
11 out of 14 positive nodes. stage 3 at diagnosis.
Had been having mammo's or ultrasounds every 6 months as breasts are dense and mammo's are hard to read.
Neg biopsy in Aug 2001. Same side as cancer in 2002. I had a biopsy to my good breast during chemo to remove calcifications. They were neg.
Decided to finally start recon in 2008. Jan had tissue expander put in under radiated skin. March had that skin rupture during a fill.
April had a lat flap done. Had my implant put in February 2009. Waiting to do the lift to good side.
August 2009 had a suspicious mammo, ultrasound too. August 2009 had an MRI also suspicious.
September 9th had a MRI guided biopsy that came back with atypical lobular hyperplasia. Risk factor for another cancer.
Having the genetic testing done, if I test positive I will probably have a mastecomy followed by expander and implant.
The problem with dense breast tissue is that it is so difficult to read.
Have you seen a plastic surgeon to discuss this option? He or she at least can show you photos of before and after.
I couldn't have my recon done in 2002 because I was having radiation after my chemo. I sometimes wish that someone had suggested removing them both then.. But I can't say for sure that I would have, but it would have been something to consider.
Good luck with your decision making.
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