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Delayed Reconstruction
Questions about Delayed Breast Reconstruction.
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AskedPublicly Submitted Question
2/8/2009When I was 40 and had baseline mammogram, ADH was found in my right breast, which was surgically removed. Three years later, noninvasive DCIS, ER+, was found in left breast. I had lumpectomy followed by 33 radiation tx. I chose not to take tamoxifen. It has been two years since the lumpectomy for the DCIS. My breast were small to begin with and I did not have a good cosmetic result from either lumpectomies on right (for ADH) or left (for DCIS). Since removing the ADH from right breast 5 years ago there's been no other intervention on that side since I never took tamoxifen. I am thinking about reconstruction and feel that, because I am constantly anxious about recurrence, it would make sense to go ahead with a skin sparing mastectomy while I'm having reconstruction anyway. There's really very little breast tissue left on either side. Will having the mastectomy now, two years after lumpectomy/radiation for DCIS on the left and 5 years after lumpectomy of ADH on right breast, lower my risk for recurrence or is it too late?
RepliedJHU's Breast Center Reply
2/9/2009With bilateral mastectomy, your risk of breast cancer is reduced to 1 to 3 percent. ds

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