My sister phoned me yesterday, said she had breast cancer in one breast, she did not remember what kind it was but said it was not receptive to the usual hormone treatments and she was having a lumpectomy then six sessions of chemo.I had breast cancer 11 years ago, invasive lobular and had both my breast off, no chemo, but radiation.  My advice to her, at 75, to ask for both off, then there is no worry.  What kind of cancer do you think she has, basal. metaplastic or what kind if it does not resond to hormone treatment.  thank you for listening.
Hello and welcome to Chat Doctor, A A breast cancer which has to be treated with chemotherapy is a malignant for sure. However, a malignant tumor is not treated by lumpectomy. Mastectomy is the treatment for a malignant breast tumor. Chemotherapy is added in the treatment protocol if lymph nodes are involved by tumor metastasis. A breast which is not responsive to hormonal therapy is likely to be triple negative tumor or basal like tumor. Invasive lobular carcinoma tends to affect bilateral breasts thus in your case bilateral mastectomy was done. In your sisters case a minimum of unilateral mastectomy has to be done. Kindly, consult your doctor again for confirmation of the lesion-benign or malignant. Thanks and take care Chat Doctor. 