Third Surgery!

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Hi I am new to this forum having been diagnosed with a 9mm grade 3 Ductal Carcinoma back at the beginning of July. The Consultant at the time told me that my cancer was curable and that they were just going to whip in and take it out, and depending on my Her 2 results would determine if I needed Chemo and Radio. I was scheduled for my first surgery on the 19th July and I was never told at my first consultation that I would need further surgery, however when my first results came back I was told that they only got 3.7mm of the cancer and therefore had to go in and take the margins, this 2nd surgery was on the 11th August, I got my results from this yesterday and was shocked to be told that they took another 6mm but now need to take more so that I have clear margins? As you can imagine I am in shock and despair as I just cannot understand why they just couldn't take all of the cancer in the first operation? I have requested an appointment with my consultant for her to explain everything to me but she's away now until a week on Monday the 6th September and my surgery is booked for the 8th September, I just wondered if anyone on here has had a similar experience or is it just me and I am very unlucky. Any positive responses would be very much appreciated.

jowoomot over 3 years ago

Hi Somersetlass

I can sympathise, I had three operations to get clear margins - I had an invasive lump, but during the first op they found lots of DCIS which hadn't shown up on any scans, so they were really trying to remove it without knowing where it was. My third op I still had no clear margins. I needed chemo as I was HER2+, so had my chemo and then my mastectomy and implant reconstruction. It is so frustrating and upsetting, I would most definitley ask them what the plan is if there is still no clear margin? It is unusual to have this happen, but it does happen unfortunately.

Best wishes

FormerMember over 3 years ago

I am literally back home after my third op the same as you started back in middle of July

DCIS grade 3 (5cm)

Results have shown clear but small margins, no sign of microinvasion at all, but she advised a third and more aggressive scrape fully discussed this, she did explain years ago it was always an aggressive sctape but over the years it has become less so and (my opinion is its for cosmetic reasons.)

I hope you get the answer you are looking for, it's can be very frustrating and upsetting.

Take care

Daisy53 over 3 years ago

Hi Somersetlass

Welcome to the forum and sorry to hear that you have Ben diagnosed with breast cancer and that you’ve had to have two ops snd that you now have to have a third one.

Wishing you the best of luck with your next surgery.

Best wishes

Daisy53

Somersetlass over 3 years ago in reply to FormerMember

Hi Thank you for your reply. Yes I have an appointment with my consultant next monday so I am going to ask the question of whats next if they dont get a clear margin. Good Luck with everything.

Somersetlass over 3 years ago in reply to jowoomot

Thanks Jo, appreciate your reply. I will most certainly ask them what the plan is if they dont get clear margins, apparently oncology said they wont start the chemo until they have clear margins? Take care

FormerMember over 3 years ago in reply to Somersetlass

I asked what was next, probably knew what she was going to say. It for me is a mastectomy and I'm quite OK with it now. Biggest decision is flat or reconstruction

Take care

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