Had Mastectomy but postive margin

Christianne

I had a mastectomy in April for multifocal DCIS but it actually turned out to be invasive (small, only 4 mm).  However, DCIS was found LESS than 1 mm from the margin, which my BS and PS both said is considered a postive margin (if you look at how small 1 mm is, you can see why). 

I was not recommended to have radiation and was told that if I had a local recurrence, I would find it very easily since it would be right on the surface (I will have a permanent implant put in on August 25).

 Has anyone else had a mastectomy but positive margins for DCIS?  And what did your surgeons say??

prayrv

Christianne,

 I had a mast for my extensive dcis, they found 8mm idc in the pathology and also had a bad margin..  My surgeon discussed the findings with the tumor board and the concensus (sp) was to have radiation.  I was fortunate to have a great radiation oncologist and only "tanned" .  I did not burn or peel or have any side effects other than fatigue.  I wouldn't want to "find" another case of bc easily - I would rather fight it now with all I can.

Hugs,

Trish

Christianne

I really appreciate your responding to my question.  When you said you had a bad margin, was it DCIS or was it invasive?

prayrv

Christanne,

 I'm assuming it was the invasive as I had to have 26 regular sessions of radiation and 9 boosts.  They normally don't do rads on dcis alone.  (that's what I understand anyway)

 Hugs,

Trish

summerleah

i can't find a place to ask this question.........how many times can a person go through chemo before it being "enough"? is there a limit? will the chemo end up doing more damage than the cancer if it is going on the 3rd time?

12954

Christanne

 I had only DCIS- no invasion. ( only 4mm initially)I had a mastectomy because I felt that with my size a lumpectomy wouldn't leave enough to justify radiation. I wanted things over and done with. Didn't want to have to deal with possible reexcisions. However there was random DCIS throughout and no margins ( < .5mm). So I had radiation 28 regular sessions no boosts. It was definitely for the dcis as they didn't find a microinvasion

another Trish

prayrv

Trish,

Hope all went well for you on your rads.  Since my dx changed (from dcis to idc) I'm not sure what my treatment would have been. 

Hugs!

Trish

lollybeth

I had a skin-sparing mast last August for DCIS with a close (your doctors would probably have called it positive) margin at the skin.  It seemed to matter to my onc that I had only one close margin and that it was on the skin side as opposed to the chest wall.  My surgeon (at a different institution than my onc) would not recommend radiation.  My onc presented my case to the tumor board at her Cancer Center and it didn't recommend radiation either.  I will have an annual MRI in addition to the clinical exam by my onc. to follow up.

12954

Lollybeth

If I had both a surgeon and a tumor board that recommended against radiation I would have happily skipped it. I think alot depends on the particulars of each case and the pathology. You make the best decision with the information you have at the time.

lollybeth

Absolutely!  I would have had radiation if the tumor board had recommended it.  I remember being totally unprepared for the issue when it came up after my surgery.  No one had ever mentioned the possibility that I would need further treatment after the mastectomy unless they found invasive cancer....