<< Date:    Sat, 2 Jun 2001 12:31:44 -0700
 From:    Cherie Moore <[log in to unmask]>
 Subject: Fw: Lumpectomy

 Hi everyone-

 I was giving a talk to a group of new moms in a participation class on
 Infant and Child Nutrition. I would like anyone's input on a situation  =
 I
 came across...

 Amanda is breastfeeding a 11 month year old boy that nurses frequently =
 and
 she does not want to stop. She has a lump in her right breast that was
 discovered at 3 months postpartum. No malignant cells were found with =
 the
 aspiration biopsy but surgery (a lumpectomy) was advised ASAP as the =
 lump is
 not resolving. The surgeon demands weaning before surgery because of the
 complications in the healing breast. I told her that I am fairly certain
 that she could continue to breastfeed on the other breast, but that I =
 would
 ask other professionals for their input. Interestingly, the baby prefers
 feeding on the "lump" breast.

Cherie,

I've had a few moms with breast lumps that turn out to be lactation related,
actually plugs or cysts.  I realize that lumps may be cancerous but in all
the situations where biopsy or surgery was recommended by original surgeons a
referral to a breastfeeding knowledgeable breast surgeon who uses a
stereotactic type of biopsy-less invasive- (I'd have to get my notes out from
his lectures to explain this precisely) and understands that cells in the
lactating breast can mimic abnormal cells and a cytologist must be
knowledgeable about this, has saved the moms from unnecessary surgery and
saved breastfeeding as well.  The one mom who did not see this surgeon, had a
biopsy, develo[ed a fistula, was told she had to wean or fistula wouldn't
heal, called BF knowledgeable surgeon who told her to continue BF, fistula
would heal (which I told her) and within days fistula healed, BF continues.

My point is that a second opinion could be helpful, especially with a
breastfeeding knowledgeable surgeon who values preserving breastfeeding.

Barbara Latterner, BSN, RN, IBCLC
Brewster, NY

Also, one mom who saw this MD for lump resolved it partially with treatment
for plugged ducts and reduced it considerably in size-to about a pea-size-and
continues to BF her toddler, about a yr or more since originally finding this
lump(it did coincide with plugs in that same area, once she thought about it.
 And again, I repeat I'm in no way being cavalier about investigating
suspicious lumps in lactating breasts as cancer is possible, just that it may
 be lactation related and worth investigating further.

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