Help in deciding for a lampectomy or mastectomy

Hi Shital,

Thank you for getting in touch with us and welcome to our online community.  I hope you find it a helpful and supportive place.  My name is Adrienne and I’m one of the Cancer Information Nurse Specialists on the Macmillan Support Line.

Deciding between lumpectomy and mastectomy can be difficult, especially when you are given conflicting advice from the surgeon and oncologist.  There is no right or wrong answer Shital, it just has to be the right decision for you.  We know that women with dense breast tissue may have a higher risk of developing breast cancer so this may be why your oncologist suggested mastectomy.  Some people struggle with the idea of loosing their breast so if it can be saved while getting rid of the cancer, then this is the best option for them.  Others would prefer to have the whole breast removed because it makes them feel like it’s more likely to get rid of all the cancer. The treatments work equally well in potentially curing the cancer but it’s a very personal choice. 

I see that you mentioned your oncologist is in IPO Porto.  As a UK based charity, it’s difficult for us to reply in detail to questions about people with cancer who live out with the United Kingdom.  This is because there are differences in health services and care in other countries.  In the UK, if someone has lumpectomy, this is usually followed by radiotherapy to prevent the cancer coming back.  As your cancer is HER2-positive, you would also be offered targeted therapy.  This is given alongside or after chemotherapy.  You may not need further chemotherapy but this is something only your oncologist could tell you. 

I really do wish you all the best with your treatment going forward Shital.  Remember, this is a very personal decision and one only you can make, as long as you have all of the information from both your oncologist and surgeon with regards to risks versus benefits. 

Take care and best wishes,

Adrienne (Cancer Information Nurse Specialist)

You can also speak with the Macmillan Support Line team of experts. Phone free on 0808 808 0000 (7 days a week, 8am-8pm) or send us an email. 

Ref: AMc/HeP

Thank you so much