DCIS

Survivorpagets

I was diagnosed with DCIS high grade no evidence of invasion...my oncologist says i need chemotherpay because my dcis is 11cm. I think I need a second opinion. and later stated that because of the size of the tumor its a stage 2. but I asked her how can it be a stage 2 and the pathology report said it was DCIS with no evidence of invasion. I am questioning her credibility

ej01

i have never heard of chemo for pure DCIS - even big tumors/high grade.  DCIS is always stage 0, not stage 2.     Could you have had a communication difficulty with the doctor?  Yes, by all means get a 2nd opinion.  Even for those of us that have had 'simple' cases it is always good to get a 2nd opinion...and maybe bring a friend or relative with you to help you sort it out if you get the same recommendation from the 2nd doc.

MelissaDallas

Survivor, does your screen name indicate you had Paget's disease before the DCIS diagnosis? Same breast or different breast if you did? How old are you?

Beesie

Ditto to everything ej01 said.  Pure DCIS, no matter how large it is and no matter what the grade and pathology, is always Stage 0.  And chemo is contraindicated for DCIS. Chemo is a systemic treatment; because it is a harsh and difficult treatment with the risk of serious side effects, chemo is not given when the only concern is treatment of cancer in the breast itself.  DCIS by definition is confined to the breast and that's why chemo isn't given. 

Do you have a copy of the pathology report?  And have you had just a needle biopsy or have you had surgery? If you've just had a needle biopsy, perhaps there is something in the pathology and your imaging that leads your oncologist to believe that invasive cancer will be found once the surgery is done. But if you've had surgery, then I really don't understand.  

I agree that a second opinion is definitely in order. 

Survivorpagets

Yes I was diagnosed with Paget's disease of the nipple with dcis in my left breast...I'm 26 years old

Survivorpagets

I did a radical mastectomy. I saw the pathology report and It clearly stated DCIS with no evidence of invasion.....and I am absolutely certain that she didn't have dialog with the pathologist. So I don't know.....

ballet12

Is the "Paget's", in the nipple, invasive disease, with the remaining involved tissue being DCIS??  If that is the case, then given your age, chemo would most likely be in order.  Please get this clarified and get a second opinion. Pure DCIS does not require chemo, as Beesie has said, but malignant Pagets is another story althogether.  You could have both simultaneously.

Survivorpagets

The pagets disease was confined to the nipple area. however dcis was found inside the breast not behind the nipple area. Pagets in itself is non invasive.