Choice between radiotherapy and mastectomy

Hi Jemmbow

I’m surprised the 2 have given different opinions. Usually there will be a multi disciplinary team MDT who discuss outcomes and come up with a treatment plan. It’s bad enough dealing with a diagnosis never mind having to then decide yourself. Have they both agreed that one route is the preferable route to reduce chances of reoccurrence? 

The mastectomy is an ‘offer’ apparently and not something I have to have. It’s a 50:50 split between 2 breast surgeons who think I should have a mastectomy and 1 oncologist / 1 breast surgeon who think I should go for radiotherapy. 

I had a mastectomy,  and the recovery time was about 6 weeks,  but I was active from a few days after surgery.  They put  a pain block during surgery so I didn't need pain medication.  I wanted it,  and my surgeon did it,  though said a limousin would be fine. In the end there was an area of dcis which didn't show on the scans so my oncologist said I made the right choice!

What type of breast reconstruction did you go for?

I guess the flip side is they could take the tissue out and find nothing, which is what my surgeon pointed out. Im glad it worked out for you though.

I’m waiting to hear back as to whether I can have an MRI scan which would hopefully show up any other DCIS. 

Hello Jemmbow,  hope you can get MRI done as think it could help you with making the decision.  I had DCIS about 19 mm in right breast and it showed up as microcalcifications and calcifications on mammogram.  Surgeon did order ultrasound and MRI and I think it was because I have dense breasts.  The MRI also showed an area on left breast and that turned out to be stage1 ER positive so had lumpectomy on both breasts and radiation on both breasts.  
I can only imagine how difficult it is to decide so the MRI should help.  The lumpectomy surgery was a quick recovery as I did not need sentinel node biopsy.  Radiation was a more difficult decision as I needed it to both breasts but once I got my act together and said yes it was a relief. Take care and sending you lots of hugs and you have your hands full with family and pooch.  

Hi Barbara, it’s frustrating that I’ve had to ask for an MRI when you were offered one by your surgeon. It looks like we have the same issue with having dense breasts.

Were you given the option of having a mastectomy? Are you worried about it coming back in the future if it’s less likely to show up on mammograms? 

it does feel like a mastectomy is a drastic option considering they took all the disease out with clear margins. I am 90% sure I’m going to go for radiography but having a MRI scan will certainly help with my decision. I hope they give me one! 

Radiotherapy not radiography! 

Oh Jemmbow my surgeon was wonderful.  If you press on my name you can read my profile.  
I was absolutely shocked when I had the breast cancer in the other breast and seriously thought about a mastectomy but my surgeon said there is no benefit of survival between lumpectomy or mastectomy.  It was my emotions gone wild.   I told him that I wanted to make a decision based on the facts and not my emotions but it took me awhile to get there.  So happy that I was able to have lumpectomies as I am small breasted so if I had large tumor or more DCIS I may not have had the option.  
I feel ok with the risk as have had radiation in both breasts and taking anti estrogen med.  My DCIS  was intermediate grade and my IDC was 3mm with 6 mm DCIS.  My surgeon told me that he felt I had made the right decision so feeling good.  
I live in US so we don’t have the same system and easier to get testing here.  
You will make the right decision and the MRI was great as it verified how large the area of DCIS was too.

Take care