If given the choice of biopsy or lumpectomy, which one would you choose?

Question

I am 26. My doctor wants to do a lumpectomy. Mainly because my mom passed from breast cancer.

Answer 1

I would choose a core biopsy for myself before a more invasive surgery (lumpectomy). If it is cancerous, there's plenty of time to go back in, either before or after chemo.

But the odds of any lump being cancer are low.

Answer 2

I suspect you mean a needle biopsy verses and open procedure to look at the  suspicious area.  If your mom had breast cancer at a young age, say under age 50, I would favor doing the lumpectomy which will remove and biopsy the area at the same time.  Much better to be safe than sorry.  Early breast cancer is highly curable.  We never want to miss a chance for cure, and surgery is still the best way to cure breast cancer.  Your doctor suggests it, and he or she knows the details of your case.

Answer 3

I am sorry for the loss of your mother.  My mom died of this disease, too.

I think that if your doctor is recommending lumpectomy it is because the mass looks suspicious on the ultrasound.

I had an ultrasound done of a mass a couple of years ago, and the radiologist was very clear about wanting to do a needle biopsy 'just to be sure,' but was very confident that it would be benign.  And it was, thank goodness.  If he had thought that it looked malignant he might have recommended a different way to biopsy it.

I would go with the lumpectomy in your situation.

Best of luck to you!!