Invasive Ductal Carcinoma

I have been diagnosed with Invasive Ductal Carcinoma and have been given the option of having a lumpectomy with radiation or a mastectomy which will require no radiation both either way I will need Chemotherapy. I do not know if it has spread into my lymph nodes. I don't know what choice to make.

It really is up to you - don't let anyone else make the decision for you.

But, if it were me, I would go for the mastectomy (I had one without reconstruction, and it is really not that bad).

A lot of women just do the lumpectomy, and have to go back in a 2nd or 3rd time because the cancer is back. I would tell the surgeon to do the most to give you clear margins - the surgeon isn't going to know how good or bad it is until during surgery.

I would rather have 1 extensive surgery, than to have to have a 2nd or 3rd surgery.

I am so sorry for all you fellow women suffering from cancer of the breast or any other cancer for that matter. All this talk about surgery, radiation, and chemo brings me out in a sweat thinking about it. We have all these marvellous doctors and surgeons etc but there is no-one to advise how to avoid getting cancer again in the first place. I.e How we should change our diet or what particular foods we should avoid etc. Unfortunately this is sadly lacking in our medical care.

Hi, kazza. What I have learned is that cancer has been with us throughout history. It may have had different names, but it was stalking us throughout time. And when you look at it that way, you will see that every type of diet was being eaten by the various races and peoples - yet cancer was there. And even when the air was clean, the water was pure, and the food wholesome, we got cancer. Even animals get cancer. So, we shouldn't put to much blame on science, or the drug cartels, or the medical profession. For the lives they have save is legion.

My mother ate the most nutritious food, and she still got BC at 40. Nutritious food is good for you, and one must make sure to take at least 2,000-4,000mg of Vitamin D. It looks like this is the new wonder vitamin like C was years ago!

I read a medical study yesterday - it said if you take vitamin D, DO NOT take vitamin A because it decreases the potency of the D.

Carolyn