Surgeon Update

I had an appointment with my surgeon yesterday.

The good news is that the tumor has shrunk enough that I can choose to have a lumpectomy if I want to. The bad news is that I have to choose what surgery to have. It is now completely up to me! Choices are good - but this is a tough decision and is one that I will need to do a lot of research on.

What I have learned from 24 hours of research: A lumpectomy with radiation has equal survival rate as a mastectomy. Recovery from a mastectomy is 4-6 weeks (and from what I hear, a pretty rough recovery). Recovery from a lumpectomy is 2 weeks but requires another 6 weeks of radiation every day.

In the end - I need to decide how worried I will be about recurrence with just a lumpectomy. Dr. Caldwell said his younger patients tend to lean toward a mastectomy because they think that will decrease the "worry" factor.

In addition - I can choose to have a double mastectomy. Since I do not have the gene, I have the same risk as anyone other female of developing breast cancer in the left breast (1% chance per year - so over 30 years I have a 30% chance of developing breast cancer). But, my counter to that is: I had that same chance (as the average female population) and did develop breast cancer in my right breast, whereas others haven't.

The pros and cons list is on..................
I will talk to my oncologist about this on Tuesday and the nurses at Pluta. I have an appointment with a Plastic Surgeon Friday October 26 - Dr. Marie Frankel - and she will be able to tell me options.

What I really need is info on 30 somethings and their decisions - because being this young - with so much longer life span makes a difference than my 50 something counterparts.

Hmmmmmm

Christy