New to this with breast cancer diagnosis

Hi Lorraine058 welcome to the forum. Its a difficult decision you have to make and I can only tell you what I did from my perspective and why with the same diagnosis as yourself. Although mine was not Progesterone Positive which it seems that yours is.

I spoke to the surgeon and said that I wanted a Mastectomy because I was like you and wanted rid of it and to stop it coming back. However, Im a big girl when it comes to the breast department so was gona be very lopsided and no guarantee could be given re re-construction so I had to think hard about  that one. It depended on how much of the breast they need to take in the Lumpectomy how different the breast might look after if that makes sense.  I opted for the Lumpectomy and lymph node removal and I'm 5 years down the line now and I also had Radiotherapy.   

Im  not sure about recurrence. I think it is always a risk for us all and some of the lovely ladies on here have had recurrence so there are no solid right answers. You have to do what feels right for you and be able to look back with no regrets.

GRANNY59 thank you for replying. Appreciate your perspective. Its a difficult decision and aware it needs to be the right one for me..just dont know which one it is right now. Hoping that by people sharing their experiences will help. Hope you are doing ok x

Hi, sorry to hear of your diagnosis, I was diagnosed in Feb. I had a large tumor 9cm, but was big busted so offered breast conservative surgery, although I could have opted for a mastectomy. 

I had the surgery & a breast reduction on the other side at the same time to match. Also lymph node removal. Unfortunately at my post op review I was told that they hadn't managed to get a clear margin around the tumour & also a cancerous nodule had been found that raised suspension that there was further tumour that hadn't shown on the scans.  I was recommended a mastectomy.

After a lot of thought & tears I opted for a mastectomy. 1 as there was no guarantee they would get a clear margin again &2 there could be more in there & was too risky to leave. Sure enough a further tumour 1.5 cm was found.

So I ended up with 2 rounds of surgery 8 weeks apart which was tough.

It's so hard to make decisions, I wish you all the best x

Hi I had the same diagnosis as you I too had lymph node involvement which threw chemo into the mix. I had a mastectomy as just wanted rid and lymph node clearance. This was followed by 6 chemo sessions and 15 radiotherapy sessions. 

My thoughts were I really didn't want any more surgery and at 66 was not so worried about body image. I completely get younger folk would feel differently. It has to be your decision and no one else's. I am now on the 10 year hormone meds and bone strengthening meds (which you can have as an infusion). My cancer was grade 2 and just have to be hopeful now I have hit it with all I can. Good luck and I had my mastectomy as a day case home by 9 p.m. x

Hi Lorraine, I had er positive breast cancer 8 years ago  7cm tumour, I was offered a lumpectomy, no mention of mastectomy, traces in lymph nodes, 8 sessions of chemo radiotherapy and tamoxifen.

Cancer recurrence 3 months ago and had a mastectomy 5 weeks ago, no trace in lymph nodes however they still want me to have chemo, so in my mind I'm thinking if I had had a mastectomy the first time then maybe I wouldn't be in this position again, but no one can predict what the future holds, unfortunately. Therefore if you feel a mastectomy will give you peace of mind then you should listen to yourself.

Personally I'm relieved I have now had a mastectomy and I didn't want reconstruction, I didn't want to put myself through more operations

Stay strong and listen to yourself and do what is right for you, my thoughts are with you.

Hi kitty thanks for sharing...you are so brave, i guess this is what is in the back of my mind...if i opt for a lumpectomy and like you they dont get clear margins and have to go again i like you am sure i woyld cope very well.  I hope all is going well with you x

Hi janemb can i ask at what point do you knowabout lymph node involvement, i have been told they will take some lymph nodes as a matter of course to check ?? Sounds like you made the right decision for you and i hope it all goes well for you xx

• Hi Kippy thanks for your reply. Sorry about your recurrence and having to go through this again. I know noone has a crystal ball and what you have been through is exactly my point...i appear to be one of the lucky ones as i do have a choice just want ro make sure its the right one for me. Thank you and i hope it all goes ok for you xx thinking of you too!

Hi Lorraine,  Sorry that you are going through this breast cancer decision process.  Personally was the most difficult part of the whole diagnosis.  I will give you a little background.  I was diagnosed with DCIS in September 2021 right breast.  Nothing seen on mammogram for left breast.   Micro calcification and calcification showed up on mammogram so had stereotactic biopsy and DCIS diagnosed.  Was all ready to do partial mastectomy ( lumpectomy) and radiation but here in US they do ultrasound and MRI.  So had that done and OMG something in left breast was seen.  I am small breasted (34A) so they could not do MRI biopsy so was scheduled for surgical biopsy.  Surgeon wanted to do surgery on both breasts at same time but I declined it as wanted to see what I had in left breast. Path report was Stage 1 invasive so I was so devastated and seriously thought about mastectomy to both and implants. I was lucky though as surgeon got clear margins, tumor was 3mm and I had 6mm DCIS too.  So did not need further surgery on that breast.   The poor surgeon was so patient with me as I had quite a few visits to discuss my plan but told him I didn’t know what to do.  His recommendation was lumpectomy followed by bilateral radiation and then 5 years of Aromatase inhibitors as I was 72 at diagnosis.  Lumpectomy plus radiation is just as effective as mastectomy.  I was so scared of radiation so he sent me to the radiation oncologist to discuss it etc.  I remember telling my surgeon that I wanted to make my decision based on the facts and not my emotions.  That was so hard but finally felt that for my situation it made sense for lumpectomy and radiation.  Got through it and looks good too so feel very blessed.  I know that I will be a little worried every year when I go for my mammogram but I am hopeful that all goes well in the future.  
You seem very calm and collected and that is wonderful as you will be able to evaluate everything and make the best decision for you. Take care.

Hopeful barb thanks for the reply. Sounds like you have had a difficult time.  I have accepted the diagnosis and im keen to get things moving just trying to make the right choices and learn from people in a similar situation who are willing to share their experiences. I hope things are going well for you x