Need for Reexcision After Lumpectomy: Experiences and Insurance Questions

I had a reexcision due to DCIS in one of the margins. Fortunately my margins were clear after the 2nd surgery. My insurance considered it another surgery.

Hi Julia K! Thanks for responding.. did your recovery after re excision stay the same ? Her surgeon did say she feels confident after this it should be clear. Why don’t they take a little normal tissue to avoid this ugh? Do you know if the Reexcision was at least half the cost of the first surgery since it was an addendum kind of ?

Oh also did u still do radiation and any other hormone therapies after ?

Recovery was easier since the 2nd surgery didn’t include lymph node removal. It was more stressful waiting for the results the 2nd time, because if the margins weren’t clear I would have needed a mastectomy. I did 4 weeks of daily radiation (left side) which went well with minimal side effects. I’m ER+ so on Exemestane. I was also HER2+ so I did 12 weeks of Taxol and 1 year of Herceptin infusions. There were less charges the 2nd time since no lymph node involvement and not as much pathology but still involved most of the same charges as 1st surgery. Hope your Mom heals well. You’re very caring for helping her get through all of this.

Thank you! It is stressful we felt a sense of relief after surgery and now that feeling is back not even one week out! yea j believe my mom will need radiation and since hers is estrogen and progesterone positive will need to take Aromatise Inhibitor after that She’s 69 yrs old ..how are you with the side effects on the blocker?

Side effects from AI has not been bad for me. I don’t have joint pain or fatigue. My biggest worry is bone loss. I think it really helps to exercise and stay active. That has helped me more than anything in my recovery from treatment.

Glad to hear this! Hope you are feeling good and stay that way! Thanks again for your insight!

Hi Julia!! My moms second surgery was a success all clear margins no residuals what a relief now I can breathe again !! ❤️❤️🙏

Great news, I’m glad you have that part behind you now. It’s a relief to know the cancer is gone so you can move on with the next phase of treatment. I hope she does well with radiation and AI.

Thank you Julia!! ❤️

Reexcision after lumpectomy is more common than many people realize, and while disappointing, it's an important step to ensure the best possible outcome. Regarding insurance coverage, this type of follow-up procedure is typically covered as it's considered medically necessary to achieve clear margins, though it's always worth checking directly with the insurance provider to understand how they classify it for billing purposes.