Interview 07: Breast cancer

Age at interview: 59

Age at diagnosis: 56

Brief Outline:

Diagnosed with breast cancer 1998, Ductal Carcinoma in-situ. Underwent a lumpectomy and Radiotherapy. In 2000 found 2 malignant lumps and had a mastectomy, radiotherapy and Tamoxifen. In 2001 chemotherapy was given.

Background:

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The choice of having a mastectomy or wide local incision was left to her because research suggests both were of equal benefit when treating breast cancer.

 The other issue was the surgeon, on giving the bad news, said' "Now you have two options' either a mastectomy or a wide local excision." And he said' "It's your choice."

 

And we went through the reasons for each.

 

I can't remember very clearly at the moment but I remember I had Christmas, the whole Christmas period, to think about this. And thank goodness for e-mail. I was able to e-mail my specialists where I'd had my previous operation and said, you know, I wanted their opinion.

 

And again the woman surgeon said some very sensible and sound, gave me some very sound advice, which was she couldn't say categorically which way I should go.

 

She said experience showed, research showed, that in fact in this particular kind of case mastectomy and wide local excision were of equal benefit.

 

But, once I had made the decision, not to go back on it, not to think about it. Just forget and move on. You know, make the decision. Which was very, very good advice because it's no good thinking' "My God, have I decided on the right thing?" And that was a lot of help.