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Double mastectomy help prevent reoccurrence?

Breast Cancer | Last Active: Aug 24 8:24am | Replies (4)
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@kedisaacs

Thank you for the link "Mastectomy- One side of Both". The doctor is waiting to prescribe the treatment plan until after surgery. They will make sure it is not in the lymph glands. They will decide about chemo after they are sure of the size of the cancer. Thoughts?

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Replies to "Thank you for the link "Mastectomy- One side of Both". The doctor is waiting to prescribe..."
windyshores | @windyshores | Aug 24 8:24am

@kedisaacs breastcancer.org has an excellent forum.

My understanding and experience is that during a mastectomy the surgeon usually takes a sentinel lymph node which is the gateway node to others. If that is positive, they take more. If negative, only the sentinel node is checked.

If your tumor is ER+ and HER2- they do an Oncotyype DX test which gives risk with and without hormonal meds and info on whether chemo is of benefit. These days, that test and others like it (Mammaprint for example) determine treatment along with other info from pathology.

As an example, I had a grade 3 cancer, the worst grade, with lymphovascular invasion, but a low Oncotype, so I did not do chemo.

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