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A MyBCTeam Member asked a question 💭
Los Angeles, CA

I have been diagnosed with TNBC but I haven’t been given a stage. Two surgeon suggest a mastectomy and chemo before & after. I haven’t gone through breast cancer in 2014 but it was not TNBC my surgeon then did a great job. That party cancer did not return. I would like to go back to him but unfortunately he is not part of my new HMO network. I paid out of pocket to get a second opinion from him. He suggest that I do a lumpectomy and chemo awards. He says the tumors are small enough to do a… read more

July 24, 2025
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A MyBCTeam Member

I think many oncologist perform too many unnecessary mastectomies . It's almost as if they were scared lumpectomy wouldn't be enough.

In my case when I first met with my surgeon she began with 'You have an easy cancer' with low ki-67 and tumor was 2 cm. They originally thought I was stage 1 and then because of one node testing positive they said stage 2. Then she says she would recommend mastectomy and chemo. So here I was thinking ok I am stage 1 with a small tumor so why mastectomy? I refused. 10 days after lumpectomy they discovered it had already metastasized and I was stage 4. Had I listen to her I would have gone through a mastectomy for nothing. I really would have been pissed off so I am glad I refused.

July 24, 2025
A MyBCTeam Member

And I can understand her point. But like I already said, small tumor I can understand lumpectomy too. Good luck to you.

July 24, 2025
A MyBCTeam Member

Thank you for the reply. I think she wants a mastectomy’ because it’s TNBC. But I think my first surgeon is correct in just a lumpectomy. Thank you again

July 24, 2025
A MyBCTeam Member

Thank you. I just want to make sure I chose the right one. I think a mastectomy is too aggressive when my tumors are small

July 24, 2025
A MyBCTeam Member

Two breast cancer types that may not present as a tumor are Inflammatory Breast Cancer (IBC) and Lobular Carcinoma in Situ (LCIS). IBC is characterized by inflammation, swelling, and redness, rather than a lump.

These are the types of Breast cancers that I think justify a mastectomy.

July 24, 2025

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