compensated cirrhosis and breast cancer

[Seognam]

hi, i am 54 and diagnosed with cirrhosis in 2022. i have been well and sober since. i have now been diagnosed with stage 2 breast cancer. i have been told i need a mastectomy. my surgeon is refusing to perform a breast reconstruction due to my cirrhosis. i am distraught at the thought of being flat. i am glad to say the prognosis for the cancer is good. does anyone else have any experience of a major surgery with cirrhosis. sending everyone warm wishes of love and health x

[Sunnyskies33]

Hi. I am glad your prognosis is good but sorry you have so much to contend with. Is the surgeon refusing due to perceived health risks of the surgery? Not sure where you live but you could perhaps get a second opinion to see if the decision is warranted and what the risk level to you would be. Hoping some here with experience in surgeries with cirrhosis can give you helpful info. Is the reconstruction typically done after the cancer removal surgery has healed? Wishing you all the best.

[MissThing]

Hi,

I have cirrhosis and have had a mastectomy yesterday.

I had to have a separate appointment to see if the mastectomy could be done, and it wasn't until I came out afterwards that I realised that reconstruction wasnt even spoken about.

I know it sounds daft, but it's all such a whirlwind of appointments after finding the lump, that I honestly hadn't given it a thought.

So, I suppose I'm not really much help to you, but hopefully we may both get an answer.

I feel cheated, really, because I thought the consultant Anaesthetist was quite scathing about my health problems.

I felt i had to justify the cirrhosis, and i have a couple of autoimmune conditions too.

I'll be following this thread with interest.

I wonder if it is to do with the fact that i don't drink, and never really have, apart from some teen boozy sessions, and I'm 60 ish now?

[Seognam in reply to MissThing]

hi miss thing

firstly, sorry about your diagnosis. its such a scary situation.

i am in the uk. the main problem seemed to be the liver and not the cancer, this i thought odd.

there was to be no consideration to a reconstruction and the male surgeon seemed to think i should be lucky they would operate at all.

i have now been offered an implant after a second opinion with a female surgeon. she seemed to understand my utter distress at the thought of being flat.

i had to fight for them to even discuss it and i had a strong friends support. we were talking yesterday about how many women they terrify into not even questioning the less easy option for the surgery. obvious, there are worries with recovery and that had to be assessed. i am aware every care will be different. this has taken me 4 months of precious time. my cancer is slow growing. the stress and worry is unreal.

there is much worry about the liver recovery time. the head anaesthesist says there is no difference to the liver as to the length of the operation. my hepatology dr was also consulted but as he agreed to the surgery, the decision was left with the breast surgeon to agree to it.

i pray that you are now disease free and you body and mental state recover well.

sending you love and light