I have been recently diagnosed with breast cancer. The tumor is over 5cm and although not confirmed through lab testing, the lump in my lymph is probably cancerous too. I opted for the chemo first to see if the tumor could shrink, i was scheduled for 8 rounds. After the second dose, the oncologist told me he could no longer feel the lump in my lymph node and the tumor was shrinking. I then went to the plastic surgeon and was informed that because of the size and the fact that i was slated for radiation after the mastecomy, he would have to wait another three months after radiation was completed. This wasn't the news that I was reeling over, he also told me that the surgeon would be taking most of the skin to remove the tumor, the options he had was to make one side (i'm having a double) out of the skin in my abdomen and the other would be an implant or he would have to do stretchers. He also mentioned that even with all of this, he said there was still a risk of developing breast cancer again.
My question is, after the chemo/the mastecomy/the radiation, how can this happen? There isn't a family history of breast cancer, I do have fibrocystic disease which I believe is how this started, but if they are taking everything out, how and where could it develop?
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Breast Cancer>Mastecomy>Chemo>Still need radiation?.