Thank You

[strong1t]

I am not sure what to do. I know it is my decision on having surgery but considering whether it will help with quality of life.

Thanks for sharing your experiences.

I am ever so grateful to hear from you.

Love and Blessings always.x

[Hidden]

Hi strong1t,

Gosh, what a dilemma!

I've read your post (and previous one) several times and thought to myself "I really don't know what to say...."; I imagine others are doing the same...

It's obviously a very individual and important choice/decision.

I think you're looking for people's honest opinions, so I'll give mine. Please keep in mind that I have zero medical education and I feel that even my grasp of the medical stuff is limited, so take it for what it's worth...

Unless you have a reason to believe that you are at elevated risk from surgery (age, weight, heart issues, etc.) or if the healing process -- which is significant, I've been through it -- will pose an issue for you (e.g. if you can't be away from a job or other demanding responsibilities), if I were you, I would probably do the surgery.

My reasoning is two-fold.

First, in my heart of hearts (note that I did not mention my brain), I feel that ridding your body of some of the cancer could be good.

I've read here that the tumors aren't "like cancer factories", which I bought into initially (and I liked the metaphor), but then I realized, wait, I had a tumor in my breast which DID produce cells that went elsewhere. Depending on the extent of your mets, this could be a smaller or bigger deal...

Also, if I remember correctly, the study referenced in your other related thread indicated, in my reading of it, that there was no "NET" benefit from surgery (and radiation), meaning the benefits (and I believe that it did use the word "benefit") were offset by increases in other risks, e.g. the inherent risk of any surgery. My gripe with that study was that it didn't break down the results any further, e.g. for younger and or healthier women, who have a low risk from surgery, do the benefits outweigh the risks? Which in aggregate is offset by the higher risk women. If you and/or your docs believe that your risk from surgery is lower than average, then to me this possibly points to doing the surgery.

Second, and this is definitely squishier/more about one's individual mindset, I tend to err on the side of doing/trying whatever can reasonably be done. For me, that leads to fewer regrets/what-ifs.

But that surgery is definitely a very big deal. And anesthesia always scares me. So if you decide not to do it I think you can rest easy knowing that it very likely would not have made any difference. Does this sound contradictory? I would put a number in my head...just make it up...that there's an X% chance (very low number) that the surgery would increase my longevity by Y months. Is that worth the risk of surgery? Then change the numbers a bit...do you get the same answer? What's your cutoff? Only you know...

Again, please take my comments with a grain of salt, I'm just explaining the reasoning I would use if I were in your situation...but I did not want to leave your question/request hanging out there...

...and good luck with it! I don't envy you having to make this very difficult decision...

Very best,

Lynn

[Teddielottie]

What treatment are you on and what does your oncologist say ? x

[Seaglass77]

I was diagnosed de novo June 2019. Currently NED on Verzenio and Letrozole - praise the Lord! I chose a lumpectomy, as my surgeon was confident the cancer hadn’t spread. During surgery she removed the small tumor and also removed 32 of 32 positive lymph nodes (Surprise!). I hadn’t done my homework and had never heard the word metastatic. I just blindly followed the surgeons advice. A subsequent PET scan showed cancer through my bones and liver. Had I known it had spread, I never would have had the surgery, the same treatment I’m on would have taken care of the tumor and lymph node involvement. My onc said cancerous lymph nodes still work. As it is, I have trouble sleeping due to constant shoulder pain, nerve damage in my arm and shoulder and the threat of lymphadema. For nothing. Definitely impacts my quality of life as I love kayaking, golfing, etc which is off limits to me now. Just adding my two cents...

[kearnan]

I always concur with your responses bc I think the same way myself. To each his own, but I would not put myself through it i I were stage iv. But everybody has to come to their own decisions.