Mammogram results - IDC (Invasive Ductal Carcinoma)

jto21

Hi everyone, I have read lots of posts here and seen a lot of courage from people fighting this disease. My mother just got her mammogram results and it came back positive. We are in shock at the results needless to say. We are scheduled to see an Oncologist in the coming week or so to see what comes next.

We or I have been doing research on the results she got and I can't tell what stage type my mother is. Maybe you can shed some light. I am fully aware that it is just your opinions and that my mothers Oncologist can say for sure what it is. We just need some guidance so we know what we are facing.

My mom is 82yrs of age

Type: IDC (Invasive Ductal Carcinoma)

Size of tumour: 0.1 cm lesion

MBR Grade: II/III

MBR Score:

Tubule formation: 2

Nuclear Grade: 2

Mitoses: 1

Vascular invasion: Present

ER positive score 8/8

PR positive score 7/8

Can you please tell us what II/III means? From what I have read I added my moms MBR score which says LOW, not sure why the MBR Grade is II/III and not lower. It also said that Vascular invasion is present is that really bad? We are hoping we caught this on time? Maybe you can let us know based on my moms initial results you might have an idea of what stage she is in and if the lesion/cancer cell is aggressive or not

If anyone is going through this same situation please let us know what type of treatments you decided to take. The more info we have to speak to the Oncologist the better I think.

Thank you so much in advance for reading and replying. Please pray for our family as we are praying for all of you who have to face this terrible diseases as well.

Yours sincerly

jto21

wyo

HI Jto-

first just breathe and give you mom a big hug and tell her you love her and you an deal with this. You actually do have a lot of information and I am posting a link from this website so you can research it an compare to you mom's specifics.

On a very broad level this is a cancer that is not confined to the ducts (milk) but has invaded through the wall. From what you wrote the size looks small but some of that is an estimate right now. At your mom's age the first thought is not to see the breast surgeon so the medical oncologist will be able to review the results and potential treatment options but you can read about them before you go.

I am a "freshman" being somewhat newly diagnosed myself and still learning. The "upper classmen" will be able to come on and post a lot more information but I don't want you to worry all night so you will have some light reading from this link.

Keep us posted.

http://www.breastcancer.org/symptoms/diagnosis

jto21

Hi wyo,

thank you for your kinds words. I dont know if I would be able to sleep hearing this news. My mom is taking it well. I am not sure if it is the shock of it all and it is not sinking in yet. Hearing that you have cancer is not good at all, more so when you hear it close to Christmas :-(.

Thank you again for the kind words and link. I will be taking a good look at it. Fingers crossed the "upper classmen" read my post and post some information as well.

ps. I have been giving my mom lots of hugs :-) and I will keep everyone posted of the progress

jto21

flannelette

Hi - I'm a bit confused, too. Don't we need biopsies, not just mammograms, to give us specific answers? and Isn't staging (what treatment is recommended) possible only after surgery to really see what's going on?

MelissaDallas

I think she meant biopsy (maybe mammatome istead of gram?) she wouldn't have those results from a mammogram.

edwards750

I am not an upperclassman(great way to define the veterans) but I have been through the process. I can't begin to decipher what all the initial results for your Mom means but we do have a number of resident experts like Bessie. I can say I was DX from a mammogram but it was not confirmed until I had a biopsy. We all know mammogram results sometimes can be misleading even the new digital ones. After the biopsy the Radiologist called me to confirm the DX. My next visit was with a BS who explained what kind of BC I had and the stage and grade as well understanding nothing would be an absolute certainty until after the surgery I elected to do be it a mx or a lumpectomy and the Path report following that surgery would confirm. I had a lumpectomy, had to have a second one to even the margins and a Path report was generated from the surgery. That's when I found out I had a micromet in the SNode. Big surprise to my BS and a shock to me. In the past node involvement meant automatic chemo. That is no longer the case because of the Oncotype test. It is a test many oncologists use to decide which treatment plan is best for you. Because many women have been overtreated they needed another test/tool to give them more information. Oncotype tests do that. All that is down the road just trying to give you an overview. I ended up with Stage 2, Grade 1(that's the grade you want because it most resembles normal cells) and 33 radiation treatments. I am currently taking Tamoxifen to prevent a recurrence. So there are stages other than the BC stage your Mom will go through. Keep in mind the treatment of BC has come a long way. There are many options out there. My mother had BC in the late 80s and all there was were Mastectomies. Fast forwarding to now you are such a good daughter to be right there with your Mom. She will be inundated with information and will need someone to take notes. You are also smart to do your homework and be as prepared as you can be but don't be afraid to ask questions. You/she have the right and the doctors should be forthcoming with anything you want to know. Your Mom's Oncologist will be the proverbial go to person so its important to have a good relationship with him/her. There are a zillion out there some better than others.

Sorry to be so wordy but keep in mind it isn't the death sentence it used to be. We are all here for you and your Mom. This forum was my lifeline and it will be yours too. Keep the faith and keep us posted. Diane

jto21

Hi everyone,

Thank you again for your words of support. Don't know what I was thinking. I meant to type biopsy results not mammogram. Is there a way to edit the topic heading?

I have been reading posts on several topics in the forum and I see the closeness and fondness everyone has with each other. It is so great to see. This forum site is definitely a lifeline indeed!!

RMlulu

jto21 - Breathe! These boards and site are full of solid info and great encouragement don't goggle stay here. Please note my profile...dx, lx&snd, rads, ht...we are all different...but fighting together.

(((Hugs))) to you and your mom. She is blessed to have you at her side. Take good notes, keep a file, ask questions, visit your BC center, check out support groups you can learn a lot in preparing your BC team. Find out what follow up care or services are offered and go!

Flagged mamo followed by stereotactic biopsy sent me on this path. It is doable big steps of trust and a lot if waiting until surgery and path results. Site has good info on understanding dx. IDC less than 1 cm, grade 2, my team said lx&snd. Glad I did very little discomfort and stress wear on me. If your mom goes this route she most likely will be given option not to do rads. Over 70, it is a choice some are given so ask. She may do lx&snd followed by HT and take an AI...her BC team will discuss,

Again, breathe...and just focus on today! She will be fine brave warrior now go blow some bubbles and LOL

(((Hugs)))

Cindy

SpecialK

jto - if the size is correct on what is typed in your header, this is a 1 millimeter mass, this is a very small tumor.  Is this the correct size?  Regardless, it is indicated from the other information that a modified Bloom-Richardson (MBR) was used to determine the grade - if you add the individual scores together for the tubule formation, nuclear pleomorphism and the mitosis, you come up with a 5.  This should be a grade I, so not sure what the II/III means.  LVI is a bit nebulous, some docs think it is important, some don't.  It essentially means that the mass has potentially established a means of travel via the lymphatic/vascular system.  The scores attached to the hormonal receptor information have to do with Allred scoring, which determines percentage of cells with receptors and intensity of staining.  Having a definitive result is a good thing, as opposed to a negative result, or an indeterminate result.  Staging is not done until surgical removal, as true pathology of the entire mass, and its true size, are not known until that point. Imaging provides some information but many have a smaller, or larger, mass than is depicted in imaging done prior to surgery.  If her mass is less than 1cm, has not traveled to the nodes, then she would be stage I.  At 82 years of age, if she is stage I, I would imagine that a lumpectomy surgery with a sentinel node biopsy (SNB) would be done. Not sure if radiation would be advised due to the size of the mass and her age - sometimes they forego it for a very tiny mass and a more advanced age, and possibly hormonal therapy for her ER+ receptors.  Wishing you both the best, sounds like you are taking good care of your mom!

I believe the moderators can change the heading of your topic - just let them know what you want. 

jto21

Hi SpecialK, thank you so much for the information. My mom is a special person and I would move mountains if I can to make her get better and everybody who has these diseases. Not sure what the II/III means either but it has to do with the MBR score. maybe it means a grade 2 since there are 3 grades

I am trying to take the advice of everyone to just breathe. It seems like I am taking it much harder than my mother. She is just going about doing her own thing and I am here doing research like I am preparing for a major exam.

Thanks again to everyone and my prayers are with all of you and yours during the holiday season

msphil

hello honey and sorry you had to come here BUT we are here for your mom and family, we will be able to answer some questions for you for we have heard those words ourselves we are in this together to help one another get thru this thing. HUGS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!msphil(idc,stage, 0/3 nodes, L mast, chemo and rads and 5 yrs on tamoxifen) there is HOPE, it is what got me thru, with Faith and Family support.  For Inspiration: I am a 19 yrs SURVIVOR)Praise GOD) 

ziggypop

Hi JTO - Sorry you and your mom are going through this; it is wonderful that she has you. The shock of a diagnosis is huge and scary - you hear 'cancer' and think the worst. The first thing my breast surgeon told me was, "Cancer that is confined to the breast will never kill you." Given the size of your moms cancer, it's likely that right now it's just in her breast (can't say that for sure -none of us can, but it is small). So it's really likely that they will want to cut it out - when they say 'lumpectomy' it can mean a very small out patient procedure which may be all your mom needs as far as getting that spot out. Breathe. They will probably also want to do a SNB as a check to make sure that the cancer hasn't spread to her nodes. Again small procedure. Breathe.

If your mom's tumor is .1 cm then even if your mom's tumor is very aggressive it would take it a long time to even be pea size. I had a 9cm tumor that didn't cause me any distress at all. That doesn't mean that they won't want to remove it, just that it's unlikely that anything would change too quickly. Please let us know how the appointment goes. Sending lots of hugs your way.