General Discussion

I'm the 5th breast cancer in 4 generations.

Two of the generations are still living (with a total of about 45 years since diagnoses) without metastasis. The two earlier generations died with cancer, not from it. I had a simple lumpectomy and radiation. My mother has had a double mastectomy - mostly because she never liked her breasts much anyway. My grandmother is the only metastasis - her diagnosis was later and, although her cancer did metastasize, she lived about 40 years after her diagnosis.

Some breast cancers are very aggressive - some aren't. Mastectomy for me would have been overkill (my opinion) - and no one even offered chemo.

I also have a second cancer - an extremely aggressive sarcoma. My treatment has been limited to watching it carefully. Radiation minimizes the risk of local recurrence - but does not alter the risk of metastasis. And, this particular kind of cancer, is not susceptible to chemo. Radiation was offered (I turned it down with the approval of the doctor I am working with most closely). The cancer is rare enough that there is not good data as to whether the risks of radiation outweigh the benefits. From a medical perspective, it was a coin toss. Again - no one even offered chemo.