When I said I wanted mastectomy over the recommended lumpectomy the doctors said that a mastectomy is a major surgery and probably not necessary. My thought was that I am the fittest and youngest I'm ever going to be NOW so do the invasive hard surgery now not 10 years down the line. They said mastectomy does not increase survival rate, which doesn't make sense to me. My thoughts are get rid of as many cells as possible in surgery and those cells won't come back to haunt me. Obviously, they could have already traveled elsewhere in the body but those in my chest are gone!

Hello,
I asked my oncologist and surgeon the same question, I was HER 2 + stage 3 plus lymph node.
Chemo for 8 rounds, then surgery (double mastectomy.)
The doctors want to know how the tumors are reacting to the treatment so, when and after surgery they know what treatment will continue to address all microscopic cancer cells in our body.
After reviewing results 25 rounds of radiation and additional preventative chemo.
I am currently recovering from reconstruction and I am cancer free.
I will be monitored for 5 years for reoccurrence-
HER 2 + is an aggressive form and chemo first is protocol but ask questions with your care team and second opinion to help you understand.
Breast cancer diagnosis has come a long way! Every plan is designed for your type and person for treatment.
I have no regrets, looking forward!

@clynnford
Be sure to wait for the BRCA results before making any final decisions. My breast surgeon was so sure my test results were going to come back negative based on family history, she put me through a lot of extra visits and stress planning a lumpectomy, new type radiation, etc. She even had the lumpectomy scheduled. I was nervous about the plan. The genetic tests came back the day before surgery and I did have the BRCA2 mutation. She was shocked and now uses my case as an example to other surgeons not to assume. So we cancelled surgery and added more visits to go through the mastectomy plan. I also have the CHEK2 mutation, but wasn't tested for that at the time.

Once we knew BRCA2, she told me I could still have a lumpectomy if I wanted, and we would be vigilant watching for new cancer to pop up due to the mutation. We could just keep doing lumpectomies. Uh, no! Good for her, not for me. Who wants that worry? And who wants to go through all that every year? I had a job and a life to live. Cancer and treatment is a huge disruption. I chose the double mastectomy and never looked back.

It's your body, your choice. They just need to present you with all the options and data.

Get a second opinion. I was diagnosed stage 0, DCIS, grade 3, estrogen positive initially with 2 and 4 mm areas with the follow-up mammogram. MRI follow-up showing a 8x7x2 cm questionable area. I wanted to be as conservative (?) with lumpectomy, radiation and estrogen blocking therapy for 5 years ( really is that conservative tx?). The questionable area was all positive for same diagnosis so the lumpectomy which was quite agressive being 8 cm had 3 unclear margins. Top of the breast made a lumpectomy of that extent possible … did shrink a cup size on that breast. I had a 2 month wait for my second surgery. ( other breast from MRI had not the greatest tissue and a negative biopsy) Decided to go with a double mastectomy and silicone replacement reconstruction. (2 hour surgery) This produced clear margins and sentinel nodes. 1.5 cm of positive DCIS in pathology. Now no radiation or estrogen blocking therapy. I don’t have to return for 6 month MRIs. This was 5 weeks ago. I am 65.5 years old and the replacement choice was a faster recovery than using my own tissues that required a 12 hour surgery ( under with general anesthetic) and 12 and weeks of recovery. At 65 I want to recovery and get on with life prior to cancer. Cancer free and just finished my first strength class! So many facets and so many different diagnoses… good luck and prayers to all starting this journey!