I have Invasive Lobular Carcinoma Multifocal Breast Cancer
Before a mammogram revealed my tumor I thought of myself as a healthy, active, 80 year old woman. My oncology surgeon knows that I believe in quality of life and don't want to live my last years, or months, in a debilitating state battling cancer. He also knows that 15 years ago I had invasive ductal cancer in my other breast and had a mastectomy. My lymph nodes were clear. I didn't have chemo, radiation or hormonal therapy.
In pre-op counseling he explained that breast cancer in the elderly spreads slowly and seemed quite certain that I wouldn't die of cancer. He recommended lumpectomy, no lymph node removal and hormonal therapy. Ten days ago I had a lumpectomy.
The surgical pathology report revealed Invasive Lobular Carcinoma, Multifocal cancer. The tumor was 2.4CM. My oncology surgeon says I have 3 choices: a mastectomy or another lumpectomy, both combined with hormone
therapy. Or no surgery and hormonal therapy.
If I knew that my lymph nodes (side that was just operated on), were clear, I would opt for a mastectomy. If they weren't, I would have have hormonal treatment only. Yesterday I read, in the hospital's own literature, about Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy. I have no idea why my oncology surgeon hasn't mentioned this as a surgical procedure that would enable me to make a better decision. Am I missing something here?
What are my options?
Thank you very much.
Joan