Breast Cancer Life4 Apr 2025

50. Natalie Ditri Mastectomy vs Lumpectomy to Remove my Breast Cancer

I had a choice in terms of what would be the best option to remove the invasive ductal carcinoma that I had just learned was in my left breast. I had recently had a biopsy in a different part of my left breast. Given that there were 2 places that had the potential or were actually problematic, I opted for a mastectomy. I thought that if there were 2 problem areas, there were likely to be more problem areas in that breast. I did not want to take any chances on having more cancer. I also wanted to avoid needing radiation. By removing my left breast via a mastectomy, I was not likely to need radiation to the breast or chest. In addition to being convinced that there was a storm brewing in my left breast and even possibly other places that could be cancer (there were not), I wanted to avoid any radiation effects on the heart and lung tissues, which were situated nearby the left breast.

I share my personal assessment of the situation and why I chose to have a mastectomy in this episode. I also talk about my experience of looking back and wondering if the mastectomy was the right decision, nearly 2 years later and given the more in-deptch screening that I know have, knowing my risk for developing breast cancer. .

The content of this podcast is not intended to substitute professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult a healthcare professional regarding your healthcare questions and concerns. This podcast contains opinions of the host.

If you'd like to be the first to receive updates and exclusive content from the upcoming Breast Cancer Lifenewsletter, please email me at connect@breastcancerlife.org . I'd love to have you on the list!

LET'S CONNECT:

connect@breastcancerlife.org

Denne episoden er hentet fra en åpen RSS-feed og er ikke publisert av Podme. Den kan derfor inneholde annonser.

Episoder(66)

66. Breast Surgeon Follow-Up: 3 Years After Breast Cancer and a Mastectomy

It has been three years since my left skin-sparing, nipple-sparing mastectomy for the diagnosis of invasive ductal carcinoma (breast cancer). I just had my annual follow up with the breast surgeon....

19 Jun 24min

65. Breast Cancer Surgery: Why it's Important to be the Person Having Surgery in the Morning Rather Than at the End of the Breast Surgeon's Day

I've been thinking a lot lately about my surgery back in 2023, when I was diagnosed with invasive carcinoma in the left breast. At that time, I chose to have a left mastectomy. I'm sharing what ...

10 Apr 24min

64. Breast Cancer Surgery: Personal Experience on why it is so Important to Have a Second Opinion for the Breast Surgeon and the Plastic Surgeon

This episode I share what I learned recently that would've helped me more when I was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2023 and seeking the guidance of plastic surgeon and the breast surgeon. My care ul...

3 Apr 23min

63. My three year journey to get my life back after a breast cancer diagnosis

It's been almost 3 years since I was diagnosed with breast cancer. What has happened over the past few months is that I really took a pause from recording episodes. It really was not intentional that...

27 Mar 18min

62. Breast Biopsy Results

I finally got the results of my breast biopsy and I talk about it in this episode. I waited almost 2 weeks, and at times it was very difficult. At some point before getting the results, I experienced ...

21 Jan 15min

61. Natalie D'itri on Living With Uncertainty After an Abnormal MRI

It's something I never thought would happen although I was aware that I wanted to prevent it didn't hit me that it would be reality that I needed another biopsy because something showed up abnormal on...

9 Jan 23min

60. Reflecting on the Time of Diagnosis

24 Okt 202514min

59. How Breast Cancer Robs me of my Future

After having a history of breast cancer, it makes you think about future dates differently. It may be that before I had cancer I thought about the next year's Christmas or birthday and hoped that ever...

19 Sep 202515min