The jury is still out

I had my last chemotherapy treatment today and I was all excited, waiting for the treatment to end when I received a call from my surgeon. She said that she had talked to the radiologist, who had been on vacation last week, and said that he was NOT HAPPY to hear that I was only receiving a lumpectomy. He feels very strongly that I should have a mastectomy as there are calcifications in another quadrant of the breast that have not disappeared like the main tumor has, as seen on the MRI. As there had been no needle biopsy of this area before, they are suggesting that they do that and make sure that this area is not cancerous before making any more decisions on the type of surgery.

So tomorrow I am going in for an ultrasound to look more carefully at this area and to schedule for a needle biopsy depending on the ultrasound findings. I am a little confused as I had asked my surgeon about the calcifications when I saw her a week ago. She said that according to the report they had reduced remarkably. But according to the radiologist, this doesn't seem to be the case.

In researching this matter on the internet it has been mentioned that the main goal is to remove the primary tumor along with lymph nodes. As I will be receiving radiation therapy after whatever surgery I have, it sounds like that will kill off any remaining cancer cells.

I guess a little more research in the matter will be taken before the final decision is made. In any event, as much as I would like to keep my little boobie, it will have to be sacrificed if it is determined to be in my best interest. And what a little trooper it has been!