DCIS surprise, a surgery report

njmae

I had  a double mastectomy with immediate TRAM reconstruction last Wednesday.  I had a prior lumpectomy on the right in 2011 for a low-grade tubular tumor.  The recent mammogram revealed 3.5 cm of high grade DCIS on the left.  I said both off even though a lumpectomy and radiation were offered.  The surgery went well.  Sentinel node was clear.  I could have come home on Saturday but stayed until Sunday.  I have no bruising.  I took arnica which I believe helped.  Very few pain meds.

I was very nervous about the final pathology after reading about how often the biopsy is misleading.  The surgeon called me last night.  The biopsy was correct, actually a bit smaller, hurray!  However, there was an evil twin, also DCIS, same size, same grade, on the other side, completely undetected by the mammogram.  I am extremely relieved that my instinct to have them both off was correct.  I would have been dealing with this again (or perhaps worse) in another year.

I am recovering very nicely, managing four surgical drains, with three possibly out tomorrow.  I am 64 but I am feeling like a million bucks.

So you can have high grade DCIS times two and all can end well.  The surgeon believes the Arimidex I have been taking might have kept this from becoming invasive.  I also eat a lot of anti-estrogenic foods and will continue.

By the way, I am not recommending a double mastectomy for all DCIS.  It was just the right decision for me.

Good luck to all.