DCIS and camino cells

helenap

Two questions, I am recently diagnosed with no explanation from my doctor who immediately gave me a card to see a surgeon in two weeks and rushed out the door. So here I am trying to find out information on my own. I had the mammogram show a suspicious area and a biopsy followed. My bioposy showed DCIS, camino cells high grade and a tumor less than ,.50 - my doctor looked at me like I was going to die tommorrow. It was very unnerving to say the least.

 So am I stage 0?????

I also noticed that my other breast also has an inverted nipple like my left breast which has cancer. Does that mean my right breast is likely to have cancer too.

needless to say, I am searching for information until I actually have someone intrepret the information, I am still in shock, very emotional and just cant believe it.

and from what I am reading, they can find more once they go in and starting cutting - or can I expect more tests before they actually do that

many questions in a rambling way but it is hard to get my head organized when I am so emotional.

dsj

Do you think your doctor might have said comedo cells?  DCIS high grade (grade 3) has comedo necrosis, which means that the cells are dying quickly.  Grade 3 cells look the most like cancer cells, but they are still non-invasive.  So as long as it is DCIS (whatever grade) it is Stage 0--non-invasive.  A tumor less than .5 (centimeter I'm guessing) is very small.   

In terms of other tests, they may order an MRI.  Then based on the first biopsy and maybe the MRI, you will need to decide what's next.  Generally your options include a lumpectomy (probably with radiation) or a mastectomy.  The surgeon will help you sort that out.  Before you decide, though, you may want to get a second opinion and based on what you decide might talk also to a plastic surgeon (mastectomy) or radiation oncologist (lumpectomy).  You won't know your final pathology until the surgery, but going from what you have written,  you have every reason to think that you will have surgery and perhaps followup treatment and then return to normal life.  No one dies of DCIS. 

Re the inverted nipple. Has it always been that way?  If your DCIS was found from a mammogram and you don't have a palpable lump (i.e., it showed up as calcifications on the mammogram), then I don't see how it could affect your nipples.   

 Waiting is the worst part.  Absolutely.  Do you have a primary care doctor you mighth also see.  I went to see mine after diagnosis, and he helped me think through a lot of what I was facing.

I am so sorry that you are dealing with this, but  you have come to a good place for support.

AlohaGirl

Helenap, I don't know what camino cells are (do you have a written report that refers to camino cells or is it possible that the doctor said comedo necrosis and you misheard?) but I wanted to reassure you that if you have DCIS you are not going to die tomorrow!  The survival rate for DCIS after treatment is almost 100% and while you should make treatment decisions reasonably quickly, it is not so urgent that you don't have time to thin.  My guess is that you are looking at either a lumpectomy and radiation or a mastactomy.  Hang in there, this is the most difficult time and it will get easier for you! 

helenap

thanks so much. it was my primary care doctor who gave me the report and sent me on my way. I had been going to her for over 7 years and methodocally had mammagrams and blood work, etc whatever was the norm. So needless to say i am finding a new  general practice doctor.

and yes it was comedo cells. high grade...

that makes sense that the final pathology doesnt happen until the surgery and they go in and start testing tissue. and I hope that the pathologist of the first report --knew what she was talking about.

 it does make me slightly nervous in that last year they had me come back for the same breast for a second mammagram but said everything was fine and then this year it wasnt.

this gives me a much better understanding of next steps. appreciate you taking time to re assure me at least for right now. I wont rest until the final pathology report is back.

but the boards have been very helpful and thank YOU ALL for that,.

dsj

the pathologist tested the tissues from the biopsy and found DCIS grade 3 with necrosis.  When they do the lumpectomy or mastectomy, they will do final pathology on everything that was taken out (excised).  Usually the final pathology from excision is the same as the pathology from the biopsy, but if it's different, it's not because the pathologist was wrong in the first case, just that they will be examining a larger area and there's always a chance something else will show up.  However, as I said, based on what the pathologist saw from the biopsy, you have DCIS.  Which, as alohagirl says, is virtually 100% treatable. 

You will feel much better after having spoken with the surgeon.