Just Diagnosed

SherrySt

I just received the phone call that I knew was coming. . .positive for IDC, nuclear grade 2 with calcification and perineural invasion.  Nothing about my lymph nodes was mentioned.  I see my surgeon tomorrow morning so I should know more then. 

Has anyone had perineural invasion?  Does it make it more likely to have lymphatic invasion as well?  What does calcifcation mean? 

Thanks so much!

txstardust

Hi Sherry, I'm sorry that you've been diagnosed, but I'm glad you're being proactive and seeking information and support.  You're smart to ask questions and to be prepared for your appointment with the surgeon.  It can be overwhelming to read your reports because there is so much that the typical person does not know about BC!  It can be difficult to weed through the huge amount of information.  You'll find that there's lots of info here at BCO, as well as a ton of support from women who have been through it already!  Good luck at your appointment tomorrow.  I suggest that you write down any/all questions that you have for the surgeon, because once you're there, often you forget what you wanted to ask and feel nervous.  Another good idea is to bring another person to the appointment with you.  They may hear things that you don't in your heightened state of anxiety and worry.  If you can't bring something, record the appointment so you can listen to it later.

About your question - I found a few links with information about perineural invasion (I don't know much about it myself)...

http://www.thebreastonline.com/article/S0960-9776(06)00008-7/abstract

This is an abstract of a study done about 5 years ago - while it says there is a correlation between PNI and LVI (lymphovascular invasion), it says that PNI status does not have any prognostic importance.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17168435

This abstract says that PNI is associated with a higher likelihood of positive nodes, along with other factors like age and LVI.  Again, this is from about 5 years ago, and it says more data is needed to determine which factors are most important in making decisions about axillary treatment. 

Calcification means that there are deposits of calcium in the breast tissue, and are one of the things docs look for on a mammo that can indicate cancer sometimes.  Since you've already been diagnosed with IDC, it isn't surprising to have calcification.  Here's an overview from the Mayo Clinic:

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/breast-calcifications/MY00101

I hope that info is useful to you.  Let us know how things turn out tomorrow.

Hugs,

Shelby 

txstardust

Hi Sherry, I'm sorry that you've been diagnosed, but I'm glad you're being proactive and seeking information and support.  You're smart to ask questions and to be prepared for your appointment with the surgeon.  It can be overwhelming to read your reports because there is so much that the typical person does not know about BC!  It can be difficult to weed through the huge amount of information.  You'll find that there's lots of info here at BCO, as well as a ton of support from women who have been through it already!  Good luck at your appointment tomorrow.  I suggest that you write down any/all questions that you have for the surgeon, because once you're there, often you forget what you wanted to ask and feel nervous.  Another good idea is to bring another person to the appointment with you.  They may hear things that you don't in your heightened state of anxiety and worry.  If you can't bring something, record the appointment so you can listen to it later.

About your question - I found a few links with information about perineural invasion (I don't know much about it myself)...

http://www.thebreastonline.com/article/S0960-9776(06)00008-7/abstract

This is an abstract of a study done about 5 years ago - while it says there is a correlation between PNI and LVI (lymphovascular invasion), it says that PNI status does not have any prognostic importance.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17168435

This abstract says that PNI is associated with a higher likelihood of positive nodes, along with other factors like age and LVI.  Again, this is from about 5 years ago, and it says more data is needed to determine which factors are most important in making decisions about axillary treatment. 

Calcification means that there are deposits of calcium in the breast tissue, and are one of the things docs look for on a mammo that can indicate cancer sometimes.  Since you've already been diagnosed with IDC, it isn't surprising to have calcification.  Here's an overview from the Mayo Clinic:

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/breast-calcifications/MY00101

I hope that info is useful to you.  Let us know how things turn out tomorrow.

Hugs,

Shelby 

Letlet

Hi Sherry, at the time of your surgey your BS will most likely do a sentinel lymph node biopsy to check if there are nodes that are positive. Most of the time they don't really show up positive on a scan so they do it at the time of surgery. Im my case, the the first three were positive so they took those out and more, then the next three were positive as well. They ended up taking 23 LN on my L side at the time of my mastectomy.

Mimidi

Hello Sherry I was diagnosed November, 2010.   I am just finding this forum.  To be honest I just looked for a forum.  You are way ahead of me.  With no family history of breast cancer in my family I was completely knocked down. 

I have reports and after finding ya'll tonight I got up the courage to take them and go over them.  I remember my doctors talking to me and telling me things but I can't remember most of it.  Thank goodness my sister went with me and my husband to all the doctor appointments and took notes. 

Will have my third chemo treatment this week.  So far no side effects except being tired and losing my hair. I was given prescriptions for medicine for nausa.  I thought I was prepared for this but going bald withing two or three days hit me hard.  Thank goodness for my friends fixing me up with hats, and cap.  I had a wig ready too.