Herceptin b/f Grade 3/comedo Mx?

suesweet

I have DCIS Grade 3 with comedonecrosis. There were 6 calcifications biopsied. The myoepithelial layer was present in the specimens. The anticipated size is 5 cm.

 I believe in chemotherapy or drug therapy before surgery. When surgery is performed, the blood supply to the tumor is disrupted, preventing the drugs from being as effective.

I have not been to a surgeon or an oncologist yet. I would like to know if anyone has heard of having Herceptin before mastectomy for DCIS? My biopsy also reported ER and PR positive. Has anyone heard of taking Tamoxifen before surgery? I am 54 but not post-menopausal. 

Thank you.

Beesie

Herceptin is not approved for those who have DCIS.  Chemotherapy is a systemic treatment; because DCIS is confined to the breast, standard treatment guidelines suggest that chemo is not necessary, either before surgery or afterwards, for anyone who has pure DCIS.

Tamoxifen is sometimes taken to prevent the occurrance of BC so I'm sure that there are cases where women have taken Tamoxifen before surgery.  But personally I'm not aware of any situations where it has been prescribed specifically as a result of a diagnosis of DCIS, but prior to surgery. 

sweatyspice

There are a few clinical trials involving drugs before surgery (for DCIS), one of which involves the drug Metformin.  I'm pretty sure there are others.   Again, these are clinical trials and may not be widely available, may be randomized, etc etc etc - and ALL of them (that I've seen) still require definitive surgery.  They are NOT an alternative to surgery.  Yet.

(I was going to take part in the Metformin study, but switched Drs and institutions.)