Should I Have a Fourth Lumpectomy for Persistent Cancer?

Have you considered a mastectomy?

No way.

Have you tried radiation to get the cancer in one area instead of a 4th surgery. Hormone therapy comes after radiation.

Surgery to be scheduled and then Radiation.

I had 2 surgeries…lumpectomies, then 20 rounds of radiation.

Yes you should have surgery one more time I know it's hard to put yourself thru another surgery but it's better than having a mastectomy

Thank you , that’s my thinking.

I saw a woman who was my ultrasound tech and she had both breasts cleared of all mammary tissue and reconstructed at the same time. The most beautiful breasts I've seen. So essentially a mastectomy of all the inside tissue. Maybe ask about that, so theres no more mammary tissue for cancer. I chose mastectomy. I'm 53. I wish I knew about that before I would have opted for that. She was very clear. No mammary tissue was left in her breast at all. She showed them to me. They were perfect.

Please get another opinion before any surgery

I get so tired just doing a few chores each day and have not had radiation yet and last surgery was in January. I’m 80, but is this normal?

I do not know please ask your Cancer Oncologist

I am 79 years old and had a Mastectomy on February twenty fourth

I had a mastectomy and need to have an area fixed that is folded over and gets red and painful. But I am afraid of going back because the mastectomy experience was very unpleasant. I was charged twice for the mastectomy and the insurance company paid the second claim directly to the surgeon who refused to return the money to the insurance company. So the insurance company held me responsible for the large sum of money by refusing to pay for any medical care after the mastectomies. They said they were not going to pay for any claims until I paid them back. I finally wrote to. the attorney general in my state and he resolved the issue but it took almost 1 year during which I couldn’t see any doctors because I had to pay for the entire visit. She finally paid the insurance company and then sent me a new bill for the entire amount which had already been paid by the insurance company. It was extremely bad and her partner blamed me for her leaving the hospital practice so she can open her Park Avenue office. I don’t know why she treated me like this and it is still very upsetting. She only did 1 breast and she allowed a resident to do the other breast. The breasts didn’t match each other and the resident breast had a necrotic nipple which she refused to remove. Eventually a surgeon at Memorial Sloan Kettering told me that he would remove the necrotic nipple the following day because it was making me very sick. So there are good and bad people out there and some of them are surgeons. I am a physician and I recommend getting a second opinion.

I would definitely have a mastectomy in this case.

Sounds like you might be a candidate for an onconoplasy procedure to get enough out so that the margins are clear. Then can reshape & rebuild the breast with your own tissue per a breast reduction

Diane W… so sorry you had all of this stress added to your health issues. Cancer is stressful enough to wade through. I have been told I should get a masectomy with a stage 1 cancer, then of course do the other breast just so they can match. Not in favor of this, plus all the toxins added to the body both in the testing & medications causing more health issues. Having strokes in the past from anesthesia, plus severe toxin metal poisoning just recently from the MRI contrast dye I am afraid to proceed. They fail to address my health concerns by ignoring the anesthesia issue (just hope it does not happen I was told) & not recognizing or providing any help to rid my body of the metal dye(drinking lots of water would not release it) instead allowed me to suffer greatly. Do as they say I feel will kill me instead of or along with the cancer. They seem to not know any surgery afterward but silicone implants which my body will surely reject as forgien objects because I have an over reactive immune system.

Hi Priscilla, I was where you’re at last year. August 30, 2024, I had my first lumpectomy. Saw my first plastic surgeon, he dismissed me, said I didn’t need his services. Saw my surgeon for post-op, he told me I needed another lumpectomy, chick was done 15 days later. After that surgery, I saw Oncologist for the second time, he also dismissed me, telling me I didn’t have cancer, left with an appt for 6 months later. The next day I was told, again, unclean margins and cancer has become invasive and HER2 positive (was DCIS, grade 3) and needed a mastectomy (but the oncologist said I didn’t have cancer!) he was second doctor I had to fire). Had my mastectomy day before Thanksgiving. Saw new oncologist 2 weeks later and she wanted me to have electrocardiogram done right away. Set up appt was done. Girl who was going to give me the test refused, she said it’s too soon since the mastectomy (my thoughts too, figured first pain I was gonna punch her and told her as much). Called my surgeon, he said no, cannot have it done now! Brought this up to the oncologist and she said she knew it was too soon (apparently she didn’t care), then she lied to my face about the surgeon and I was done with her!!! I now have an awesome Oncologist that I trust (she knows all of this story.). My entire team is awesome, loved my surgeon, my plastic surgeon - reconstruction in June - is highly regarded and lots of accolades to her name, and oncologist are all top notch. Been through hell to get here, only 3 more cycles for the Taxol chemo and 10 more months of the “Herceptin”. Priscilla, I tell you all this so you know it’s a different journey for all of us, some roads are a clear path, some like mine have lots of side roads, but the journey is your own. I’ve kept my attitude Positive the entire time, the pain from the surgeries wasn’t bad for any of them (took pain killers only on day 1) and chemo side effects are not as bad as they used to be. Don’t be afraid of mastectomy, it’s not as bad as you might think. Ask questions to anyone who’s had one, do your more comfortable. I’ll answer any question you have. I’m always around, I’d be happy to help you out any time! Jackie

I had a bilateral mastectomy for early IDC. Sure, there are times I wish I had my old breasts back but overall, I would not change my decision one bit. My plastic surgeon did a nice job of putting this “Humpty” back together and I can honestly say they’re perkier than the set I got rid of..especially after breastfeeding 4 kids. Minimal pain with surgery. Some drains were put in that I had to deal with but other than that, it went pretty well. I did have repeat surgeries on day 12 ( margin not clear) and 13 ( bleeder from second surgery). The positive margins can happen on lumpectomies and mastectomies. Just do what you want to do. I chose this because my tumor was right over my heart and I didn’t want radiation. 🌼

That’s helpful

These are really important treatment decisions that deserve careful consideration with your oncology team. Having multiple surgeries can be emotionally and physically challenging, and it's completely understandable to have questions about next steps including hormone therapy options. Your medical team can help you weigh the benefits and risks of another lumpectomy versus other treatment approaches based on your specific situation and pathology results.