Is this really cancer?

speech529

I was diagnosed with DCIS in late March and since that time I have received conflicting messages about DCIS.  These range from that it is really cancer and needs to be treated to that it's just a precancer and nothing to really worry about but you should have a lumpectomy and maybe you need radiation.

Should I be more worried and concerned?  How dangerous is this disease--I read all the statistics but this information is so abstract. 

Why are there some researchers who want to take the "carcinoma' out of the name?  It's really a confusing situation and very frustrating when I start to think about it.

prayrv

Speech,

please read the thread Past Post from Beesie on understanding DCIS - a wealth of information!

I bumped it for you but here's a link  http://community.breastcancer.org/forum/68/topic/727963?page=3#idx_90

for what it's worth, it's preinvasive cancer - but still cancer.

Hugs,

Trish

navygirl

IMHO, the doctors can say whatever they want about DCIS not "really" being cancer...but all you have to do is ask a woman (such as myself) who had a DCIS that became invasive, and you'll understand that while it might not be life threatening at the moment, it is definately something to be concerned about and taken care of. It's the second type of pre-cancer I have had. The first time was cervical and I had it removed, with no further issues. The second time was BC and I didn't worry when I was told I didn't have too - and unfortuantely by the time I did, my cancer was invasive and in both breasts. I required a double mast, 4 rounds dd A/C, 12 rounds Taxol/herceptin and another 7 months of herceptin. So much for don't worry. 

Don't let anyone minimize your concerns, give it the attention it deserves; you should understand your options, be your own advocate, and ask as many questions as you need to in order to make the best decision for you.

dsj

When I was first diagnosed, I kept telling myself "I don't have cancer, I have pre-cancer."  And then I was waiting while someone scheduled my MRI, and I heard her say, "she has breast cancer."  Wow, it really hit home --both for me and my husband.  On the other hand, my oncologist, who I really admire and really respect and who is being very proactive in my treatment, continually says "you don't have cancer."  Yesterday, in exasperation, I said "if I don't have cancer why am I seeing an oncologist."  He just laughed.  I guess my point is kind of contradictory:  1) what you call it does matter (hearing  myself described as someone with breast cancer changed my way of thinking); 2) what you call it doesn't really matter (my oncologist who says I don't have cancer sent me to an very impressive radiation oncologist for radiation and has pretty much insisted I do tamoxifen.) 

Doctors now believe that DCIS is not one disease, but many; they describe it as heterogeneous.  The problem is that they don't have a very good way of differentiating which forms of DCIS will become invasive and which will not.  So all have to be treated as though they have the potential to become invasive.  However, preventative treatment is different for different women--depending on a bunch of factors like size of DCIS tumor, grade, age of woman, genetic propensity, etc., etc.  You need to talk to your doctors about what kinds of treatment you specifically need, given all your diagnostic factors.