test and treatment with DCIS

mom2mms

Hi Ladies,

I meet with my medical oncologist last week and didn't particularly like her, I will be going for a second opinion soon.  I had a lt. mastectomy on Jan 13, pathology report came back with DCIS, 5 by 4 cm, with comedo necrosis, area of invasive ca.  Basically high grade according to the oncologist.  She says I don't need a mammo for my remaining breast for one year, she placed me on tomoxifen, didn't go good with side affects, she said stop taking it.  I had a hysterectomy 6 years ago, uterus and cervix removed but I have my ovaries.  Told her that 5 month ago I had a renal ultrasound and tech found a cyst in my pelvic area could not tell if it was ovary or from some where else, dismissed it.  I have fibromyalgia, dismissed it.  Can you please let me know what type of test where ordered after your diagnosis and surgery, what follow ups were recommended?

And what treatment was recommended?  She says I currently have a 20% chance of developing a new cancer in the other breast or else where in my body.  I am 44. thank you

Beesie

maria, how large was your area of invasive cancer?  That could really impact what is necessary.  If you had only a microinvasion (1mm or smaller), then after a mastectomy, your risk of recurrence is only about 1% - 2% and as such, your main concern is your other breast.  The 20% risk number that your oncologist gave you for your other breast is in the ballpark of what most of us have been told.  What you choose to do to reduce that risk, if anything, is up to you.  Personally, I don't take Tamoxifen but I do get annual mammos and MRIs (MRIs specifically because I have extremely dense breast tissue).  On the other hand, if your area of invasive cancer was larger, then in addition to the risk of a new primary cancer in your remaining breast, you also have to consider the risk of distant recurrence (outside of the breast) and that might require other treatments.

By the way, with any amount of invasive cancer, even a microinvasion (as I had), you move up to Stage I and your official diagnosis is no longer considered to be DCIS (which is always Stage 0).