Lumpectomy vs Mastectomy

Two days before I had surgery to remove a malignant tumor from my breast, I had a panic attack. I didn’t know whether to have a mastectomy or a lumpectomy.

My doctor wanted to do a lumpectomy, but I have friends who have lived through this awful decision and chose to have a mastectomy.

Research shows that lumpectomy plus radiation to treat women diagnosed with early-stage breast cancer offers the same survival rates as a mastectomy. However, a lumpectomy has a slightly higher risk of recurrent cancer.

Still, some women diagnosed with early-stage breast cancer in one breast choose to have that breast and the other healthy breast removed because of the fear that new, second breast cancer might develop in that breast.

Earlier studies suggest that more women, especially younger women diagnosed with early-stage breast cancer in one breast, choose to have the breast affected by cancer and the other healthy breast removed. They can then have reconstructive surgery, and insurance covers it.

A woman may also choose to have a mastectomy because of an abnormal BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene. One of these abnormal genes dramatically increases a woman’s lifetime risk of breast and ovarian cancer.

If you have cancer in your family, you can talk with your doctor or oncologist about a referral to someone in genetics about your risk of breast cancer.

I asked my husband what he thought I should do, and he said, “Honey, this is a decision you must make. It is your body, and I will love you and be there for you all the way.”

Being diagnosed with breast cancer is a journey I never thought I would take. The biopsy report showed a malignant tumor that was not yet very big, so having a mastectomy to remove my entire breast was a little overwhelming.

Many women chose a lumpectomy and underwent radiation and hormone therapy, but cancer has never returned. I also know women who had the lumpectomy and later had a mastectomy.

With the information I had, I was willing to take that chance.

During the lumpectomy, the goal was to remove the malignant tumor and a few lymph nodes to determine if the cancer had already begun to spread.

My surgery day started in radiology, where I had a surgical procedure called a sentinel node biopsy. With this procedure, the pathologist can see whether cancer has spread beyond the primary tumor into my lymphatic system.

The sentinel nodes are the first few lymph nodes to drain. The biopsy involved injecting a tracer material that helped the surgeon locate the sentinel nodes during the lumpectomy later that morning. My doctor removed three sentinel nodes and sent them to the laboratory to be analyzed.

It was almost two weeks before my follow-up appointment. Yes, my breast was sore, and not knowing if cancer had spread was scary, but I’ve trusted God for my life since I was nine when I gave my heart to Christ.

Since then, I have endured many painful and devastating times, including my husband and I tragically losing our youngest daughter. I sometimes felt alone, but I’ve always known I wasn’t.

In the weeks of waiting, I was blessed with family and friends checking on me and sending me beautiful words of encouragement.

A few days before the follow-up appointment, I went to the hospital and asked for a copy of the surgery’s pathology report. I sat alone in the cafeteria and held my breath while reading the information.

It was good news, and I couldn’t wait to get home to my husband and call our children. The report showed no malignant lymph nodes, and the surgeon had removed all of the malignant tumors, leaving clear margins around the removal site.

I didn’t understand everything in the report, but when I went in to see my doctor, I was able to ask questions. I felt more peaceful because I had done my homework and had a more productive conversation with her about what she found and the next steps in my journey.

Every step is essential to recovery. My next appointment with an oncologist and a radiology oncologist will help create a plan to lower cancer recurrence.