Confused about ILC vs IDC..

nash

Seabee, I like to see the scans, too, and I have to say, my docs have been really good about showing me them. I think they like it when the patients take an interest, or at least that's been my experience.

And I have to say that although it has been a drag to go through all of this with little kids, they keep me so busy that I actually do forget about cancer most of the time. Plus I have hobbies and interests that keep me occupied. I think that's really important. Like you said, no sense brooding on things.

Of course, that doesn't stop me from reading every research article I can get my hands on.

ann-idiot

Bump (whatever that means) think this topic needs to be resuscitated

nim88

So please help me understand this. My wife was diagnosed 4 years ago with DCIS in left breast. After surgeries and radiation everything is quite there though multitudes of tests were done on both breasts including a cosmetic surgery in 2005 on the right side at time of re-excision to get cleaner margins (on left side); MRI's on both breasts in 2006 with contrasts, annual mammos and semi annual ultrasounds. In March during a routine exam, after mammo had shown nothing, the BS found through an US (confirmed next day by MRI) what we now know is ILC in the right breast. After lumpectomy path says ILC (tubulorlobular) plus LCIS (which is not cancer!) plus some low grade DCIS. How come all these things get missed on tests and if they do is it possible that there is still something there that may have been missed despite all these tests?

Also, prior to her diagnosis she had a spot on her back (I think the spine) where if you pressed it hurt. She refused to take any medication and when she went for her lumpectomy I told the BS who had it x-ray'd but it showed nothing and she did not seem concerned because she felt there was a bump where if pressed, my wife would get pain. Anyway, I finally convinced her to take Motrin a couple of weeks back and after 2 days of Motrin the pain has almost disappeared (but she discontinued after 2 days). Should I be worried (she isn't!!!)

She also has some funny white spots on the right breast and on her calf (both right and left) which we think appeared after the lumpectomy surgery. GP thought it was fungus but it did not go away with anti-fungal cream so she discontinued. Any of you experience this?

ann-idiot

nim88- I have ILC. It is not easily picked up on tests. I've had 2 MRI's and 10 Mammograms which all were unable to detect the tumor. I went thru a 45 minute ultrasound, the whole time taking the tech's finger and pushing it into the odd mass I felt, before she could locate it. Another lengthy ultrasound was done to insert a guide wire so the BS could find it during surgery. ILC is very sneaky, which is why the tumor is sometimes on the larger size by the time it's discovered. Tubulolobular ILC is on the rare side (tell your wife she's special!) and the prognosis is usually more favorable than IDC.