Mastectomy and breast reconstruction pros and cons?

Posted by kruzin @kruzin, Jul 8, 2018

Being treated for breast cancer, having a mastectomy and was wondering what people did for reconstruction?

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Breast Cancer Support Group.

@laurak6022

For those with reconstruction implants do you feeling a tightness in the front or uncomfortable feeling ? I thought I read that this can happen… just trying to gather information. Thanks

Jump to this post

@laurak6022. are you getting reconstruction?

REPLY

For those with reconstruction implants do you feeling a tightness in the front or uncomfortable feeling ? I thought I read that this can happen… just trying to gather information. Thanks

REPLY

Feeling apprehensive. I have necrosis in the breast to be grafted. My breast is very tender and hard/solid in most of the areas. By the end of the day wearing a bra is very uncomfortable. I am large breasted and will also be doing reduction in the other breast after completing the grafting. Concerned about the added fat causing more discomfort. Concerned about the newness of the procedure as well.

REPLY
@jdh65

Breast Reconstruction with fat grafting
I had Invasive Ductal Carcinoma, Stage 2, triple positive HERS2 and had a mastectomy using the Goldilocks procedure with skin sparing-no expander. I have completed my chemo treatments and I am looking at starting my reconstruction doin fat grafting from the flanks as I am not a candidate for implants. Wondering if anyone has had this done and how it went? Do you recommend the procedure? Do you wish you hadn't done the procedure? Pros and Cons? Any information would be helpful. Thanks

Jump to this post

@jdh65, I moved your post to this discussion where members are talking about the pros and cons of reconstruction and that various options.

– Mastectomy and breast reconstruction pros and cons? https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/mastectomy-1/

As you probably already know, fat grafting (or autologous fat transfer) is a new breast reconstruction technique. Because fat grafting is so new, no large clinical studies have been done on the procedure. The studies that have been done involve fewer than 100 women and the average follow-up time is less than 4 years.

I believe @boathouse @kwyskiel @jboisjolie @celica have had fat grafting reconstruction done or considered it.

JDH, what factors are you considering as you make your decision?

REPLY

Breast Reconstruction with fat grafting
I had Invasive Ductal Carcinoma, Stage 2, triple positive HERS2 and had a mastectomy using the Goldilocks procedure with skin sparing-no expander. I have completed my chemo treatments and I am looking at starting my reconstruction doin fat grafting from the flanks as I am not a candidate for implants. Wondering if anyone has had this done and how it went? Do you recommend the procedure? Do you wish you hadn't done the procedure? Pros and Cons? Any information would be helpful. Thanks

REPLY

I had my unilateral mastectomy on Monday from 12 to 4. The plastic surgeon did the closure. No pain. Taking Ibuprofen and Tylenol.

REPLY
@trixie1313

polianad22
Actually, no. The first one was invasive ductal on the one side of the breast and the second was neuroendocrine on the other sidewhich is an aggressive cancer usually found in the colon or liver first, very rarely seen in the breast so not a lot of info. Neither was related to each other.

Jump to this post

It's called Multicentric.

REPLY
@trixie1313

@polianad22
"It was advised to have chemo (such as they do for an oat cell ca which also treats neuroendocrine), but after 3 different Tumor Board discussions, I chose not to go that route." That would have been in addition to the treatment for the original invasive ductal cancer, i.e. Taxotere and cyclophosphamide that I received.

Jump to this post

Understood.

REPLY
@polianad22

I am not sure if I understand correctly. Which route you didn't go?

Jump to this post

@polianad22
"It was advised to have chemo (such as they do for an oat cell ca which also treats neuroendocrine), but after 3 different Tumor Board discussions, I chose not to go that route." That would have been in addition to the treatment for the original invasive ductal cancer, i.e. Taxotere and cyclophosphamide that I received.

REPLY
@trixie1313

Yes – I had 4 rounds of chemo and 30 days of radiation. It was advised to have chemo (such as they do for an oat cell ca which also treats neuroendocrine), but after 3 different Tumor Board discussions, I chose not to go that route. I'm at the 4-year mark and, so far, so good.

Jump to this post

I am not sure if I understand correctly. Which route you didn't go?

REPLY
Please sign in or register to post a reply.