karlak's Cancer Blog
March 15, 2008
| How inportant is Breast Sensation after Cancer ? | Views: 256 |
Here is a Article I thought was of interest.
If you feel that you can post a Answer to this question, please do so.
A question those with a new diagnosis of breast cancer must
consider.
For some women, breast sensation is so important that they will do whatever it takes to preserve the breast. This means possibly taking neoadjuvant chemo first to shrink the tumor so that, instead of needing a mastectomy, they can now have a lumpectomy.
For others, it may mean having a very large lumpectomy, which results in breast distortion and considerable volume loss — and yet always with the primary goal of preserving sensation in their breast.
Efforts are under way here at Johns Hopkins to perfect a surgical technique to reconnect (by using a microscope) the nerves severed from the chest wall area during mastectomy to the nerves in the reconstructed DIEP (deep inferior epigastric perforator) flap breast.
The surgeons hope to create a true Memorex version of what had to be sacrificed surgically, while still ridding the patient’s body of the source of the cancer. It’s exciting to see that some sensation may be recoverable.
But I’m curious to hear how important this issue is to you. On a scale of 1-10, how much do you value breast sensation?
Would you consider it important enough to take extraordinary steps if this meant you’d be able to save your natural breast? If reconnecting nerves turns out to be possible, and if it was explained to you that sensation would be restored but that the feeling may not be like the erotic sensation you experience now, would you still go ahead?
It’s been said, and I agree, that the biggest erogenous zone we have is our brain. What do you think?
© 2007 Johns Hopkins University. All Rights Reserved. This article from Johns Hopkins University is provided as a service by Yahoo. All materials are produced independently by Johns Hopkins University, which is solely responsible for its content.
How inportant is Breast Sensation after Cancer ?, 
5 comments)
06.22.08 - 
Thanks for your support -
If I had the chance to look into this it would rank a 10 on the scale you proposed. I always knew it was of major importance in my life but was told they had to perform the full masectomy and major radiation to save my life. They never told me what a toll it would take on my life, of course they told me I would be dead Dec. of 2004 so think I was one of their statistics. Breast sensation was their last thought. At this point I would be happy if they would have warned me of a life with a two inch hole in my chest that seeped constantly after four years, I know it will never be healed.
Hey there! I’m still here, doing great, no evidence of cancer anywhere!
I’m a mom now! Twins! Yes, I need to write an update. I will as soon as I get a free moment, maybe in 2009…lol.
Nice to here from you!
Thank you for your loving and supportive words.
We are together and sharing special feelings and memories as a family, we are very happy to receive your warmth and support.
With Love,
The Lanes
Think of you Sherri! Sue
Breast sensation? Yes it is very important.
I want to be touched there, more now then ever before. I feel that I have an ugliness inside of me that never existed before. I need to be touched and kissed and reassured that this inside tumor, this ugliness is not as ugly to him as it is to me. I am my own worst critic. I need his touch to tell me he has not changed his passion, or lust for me because my breast is no longer where it should be or respond as it once did. Since the diagnosis he ignores my right side, he love me, he is passionate. He is all a woman could wish for. Sadly and silently I share this: when he accidentally touches my rt breast he shivers, his skin crawls his face changes. Do you see what I am trying to say? It is not my sensation that is important, it is his. I love this man more then I can bear. I would try to change the world for him if that is what he wanted. But… It is my body, it is my breast, it my life. I will do everything I can to earn another year. His sensation is not as important as my life.
There is so much I could write on this subject. SO very much. I enjoyed the ways my nipples reponded to the cold, I liked the bounce of my breast, I like the way silk feels on my skin,I thrill at his hot touch adn could not keep that a secret. The goose bumps drove me insane. Now its different, for both of us.
Without my breast, the mental part of sex takes effort. Because now I am thinking about what he is thinking what he is feeling and where is he touching me and I ache for him to love the ugliness (the cancer site) as he did before he knew it was ugly (cancer). Would I make a different decision? No.
His sensation, his mental approach to sex must change now as well.When he touches me his sensation is entirely different as well.