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Missing the margins during a mastectomy surgery
I was diagnosed with breast cancer and had surgery to have a mastectomy on my right breast, but after two weeks I went in for my checkup and the dr told me I still had a spot of cancer and probably would have to have another surgery but he had to meet with the tumor board first. I was so confused and depressed to think I got to have another surgery. So I go to my primary dr and ask her to read my report , she told me the dr didn’t take enough margins. I didn’t know what that meant. So she explained he actually didn’t take enough of my breast off. I was depressed, had to get on depression pills. Sitting around waiting to hear if I would need another surgery. Went to my onocologist and he told me , my surgeon didn’t take enough margins and now I’m Super depressed. So he had my tumor tested to see if it actually qualified for chemo or radiation. THANK God it was small and I didn’t need Chemo( my biggest fear) So I did 33 sessions of radiation. Who has had this problem during a mastectomy?
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Ahhh @bertbert my heart is just breaking when I read this. I did not have a full mastectomy because by that time the insurance wouldn’t authorize it but I did have surgery that removed about a cup of tissue and had to return twice to get more tissue. Thankfully I had already gotten the “better living through chemistry” sertraline pills.
I was resistant to requiring antidepressants at first, because I am tough, right?
Now I can look at my journey and just be grateful for them. Sometimes I wish I had more, because life is hard, and life with cancer and the lifelong side effects from (chemo, mostly) treatments can be even harder. I will say that antidepressants allow me to think that even though it is hard, I am still here to whine about it.
Back to the surgery question, I did have the last surgery and I told my surgeon that he only got one more chance at this tumor so if he had to, he should take the rib. It gave him a chuckle but he did scrape the rib to get everything he could. He was an amazing doctor and a good surgeon.
You said you took radiation, so I assume that you had the last surgery, how are you feeling now?
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4 Reactionsbertbert, OMG I wrap my arms around you. So shocked and sorry this happened to you. But pleased to know the recent one was small. Best wishes for trouble free days ahead.
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2 ReactionsAuntieOakley no I didn’t have another surgery. I did 33 sessions of radiation and im all good. God is Good and I feel GREAT. My breast got pretty dark from radiation but I don’t care about that.So I’m walking around with one breast and wear no pad or anything. Just being me and still smiling like always. GLAD IM STILL HERE AND ALIVE🙌🏽I hope all is well with u.
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5 ReactionsI am really happy to hear that! It sounded like you were having a time of it in your original post.
I am glad you understand that you are still you, no matter what you go through.
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1 ReactionYou asked if others had the problem with margins. I had a mastectomy 15 years ago and my margins were not clear either plus the cancer had moved into my one of my lymph nodes and I was HER-2 positive. I had chemo, radiation and Herceptin and have been living my life as I wished...hiking, canoeing, camping, cycling, volunteering, enjoying grandchildren. Sending wishes for your continued wellness.
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3 ReactionsI had a mastectomy Nov. 2021. 2 weeks later recurrence on chest wall. Obviously missed margins that no one owned up to. 6 months chemo to shrink. Then surgery. 3.6 cm residue. Bad margins again. Superior, posterior, inferior. They told me to skip surgery and go straight to radiation. Lobbied hard two tumor boards in Canada Another surgery produced another 1.2 cm of cancer. Hopefully clear margins. One lymph node positive. Mastectomy on other side plus double reconstruction 2023. Letrozole and verzenio. Hopefully good. 🤞
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4 ReactionsWow Worried, that is so sad. I pray that all is well with you. These surgeons need to do better. How would they feel if it’s their mother, sister or daughter. My dr seemed really unconcerned. He had bad bed side manners. But just know God Got the both of us. Much love❤️
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1 ReactionI've had multiple reccurrences after a double mastectomy in 2013. Just Onc. Drs. and Onc. nurses that were to casual or inexperienced! Scary & disturbing. I thought my B/C nighmare was over with the 2nd reccurence that I had to beg & plead for diagnostics & a breast surgeon ! My insurance "said" they did NOT have a breast cancer surgeon in Network! We had to threaten to get the government involved *this is Florida 🙁 Fortunately I moved to another state 2 yrs after that whereby that B/C surgeon said she was going to be "conservative" w/ the margins. I trusted her and wasn't exactly sure what she meant by that. I was now finding a sm lump deep in my armpit now by chance with a top medical system, this surgeon & team were appalled at my treatments and Drs' med decisions and neglect. I'm alive because of my own examinations and persistance and med team that for the most part (except for Radiation team--) cross their T's and dot their I's and check & recheck .
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6 ReactionsIt’s disgusting that cancer patients need to “beg & plead” with oncologists. It’s easy for oncologists to gamble with other people’s lives. I had to spearhead a huge lobbying campaign for surgery for a recurrence. The “experts” in Edmonton Canada would not give me surgery. Had to move to another province where 1.2 cm of cancer was removed (that’s 1.2 billion cancer cells). Radiation alone was not meant for that. The tumor board at the cross cancer in Edmonton was gambling WRONG with my life. They didn’t care how the patient directly effected felt. Disgusting and elitist approach to medicine.