Multifocal IDC-Please advise.

Lindissima

Scenario:

IDC, Lumpectomy, reexcision, SNR one node:negative,Grade one,  Age 42, premenopausal, ER+ PR+ HER-

After 2'nd path report, told by surgeon 2'nd tumor found in same breast, roughly same size as first. (!.3 cm)  Now recommends mastectomy because of this and very dense breasts.

These are not my stats, but those of a younger colleague whom I am advising, having just finished treatments for IDC myself. She is recently married for  the first time, under review for a full time teaching position and very emotionally distraught after two surgeries and now this.

I am helping her with formulating questions for her 2nd opinion with a surgeon next week.My Dx was different so I am not as familiar with multifocal and premenopausal BC.

Please help with suggestions for questions.  Does being multifocal change her stage or prognosis much?  Can she avoid Mx with adjuvant chemo?  Is Mx better/safer for dense/multifocal breasts?

I'd love to give her some words of encouragement from all you strong women out there who have been through this. Thanks.

debbie6122

Hi Lindissama- I also had 3 lumps in my left breast, largest being over 2cm the other two were about the same as your friends, my bs said if i didnt have the larger tumor she could of done a lumpectomy but with the larger one it would leave me defromed, The largest one was found on mammogram and all 3 showed up on ultrasound guided biopsy,they also have breast mri's that are suppose to be pretty good for showing lumps even with dense breasts, I hope this helps and im sorry about your friend

hugs, debbie

Lindissima

Thanks everyone for your thoughtful replies.  She ultimately did have the MX and is feeling comfortable with that now.  I will show her your comments and I think she will feel even better!

This is an amazing board and ther is so much good info and support being shared here.

Many thanks. 

pshelton

Multifocal is what I have.  I had a total of 6 masses in my left breast.  I was not pre-menopausal yet and had regular periods. 5 of my 6 masses were primary sites so those 5 sites decided to go cancerous unrelated to each other during the same year therefore, multifocal.  Only one had spread to a secondary site.  I did have to have a mastectomy due to the extensiveness of the cancer.  I opted to have the healthy breast removed.  So I had a bilateral mastectomy, they were able to do the skin sparring procedure but unable to keep my nipples due to the location of one of the primary masses.  I had tissue expanders placed with the mastectomy.  The staging is based on how much the cancer had spread.  My nodes were clear so I was a stage IIa.

Paula 

jrgolomb

I had five tumors all sub types of idc, but the node was idc.  Go figure.  I had a mastectomy of just the one breast.  Feel good, movin on.  Hope and pray it never comes back. 

Lindissima

Jess and Paula, 

Thanks for your replies!  My friend had her Mx and is feeling more comfortable now.  I wish you the best.