Newly dx'd IDC on one breast & MRI shows DCIS on other!

DancingElizabeth

Hi All,

A couple weeks ago, I was dx'd with IDC in my right breast. But, NOTHING showed up in my left breast. Not ever after the ultrasound. Nothing.

But, then I had a breast MRI this week - that is - showing possible DCIS - in my left breast!! And, the BS wants to biopsy it. I'm freaking out because everywhere I read about bilateral breast cancer - it states that the prognosis is much poorer. The IDC in my right breast is large - at 6 cm. It is ER+ but the HER results have NOT come in...

I'm not feeling very hopeful that I will be here in 10 years - based on that...and I can't stop crying.

I feel VERY alone with this diagnosis...and I don't even know if anyone on this website can off any advice because from what I've read - only 2% of breast cancers on both sides.

Any advice or suggestions on where I could post would be great....

anya214

Scared67 I just want to share that I had bilateral DCIS twenty years ago, had two lumpectomies and I'm only having another DCIS now...so there are so many ways that BC plays out. It's all scary and I had my meltdowns too but I hope you can breathe and find some hope.

DancingElizabeth

Thanks anya214....I just can't believe this is all happening. I worry most about my 9 yr. old daughter...

ElaineTherese

Eh, the important thing to focus on is the IDC. It involves active cancer that may have spread. DCIS is not active cancer; it has been contained within the ducts. It is considered to be Stage 0. Of course, you will probably have it removed (surgically), but it is not considered to be as dangerous as IDC.

As far as your IDC being large, that's not as big a deal as you think. What did the breast MRI show (if anything) about nodal involvement? Did any lymph nodes show possible cancer? That's more important than the potential DCIS in your left breast.

Large tumors can 1) be removed through surgery; or 2) be shrunk via chemotherapy. After five months of chemo, all of the active cancer (originally 5 cm +) in my breast was gone, which allowed me to have a lumpectomy.

In the end, breast cancer treatment during the early stages (I, II, and III) has a pretty good record of securing "no evidence of disease" for those who undergo it. Recurrence, mets -- it's not clear why some recur and some don't. I wouldn't read too much into your situation if I were you.

Best wishes!

DancingElizabeth

Thank you ElaineTherese! Your post has given me a lot of hope...

The MRI did not show any nodal involvement...so for now I can hang onto to that...

Thanks again!!

ksusan

I had sort of the opposite--DCIS showed on mammogram, but the contralateral IDC and positive node were found by MRI. Although this dropped my stats somewhat, radiation, chemo, anti-hormone treatment, exercise, and stress reduction put me statistically pretty close to where I was when the diagnosis was just DCIS.

DancingElizabeth

Thanks ksusan! I'm sorry you had to find out about the IDC and lymph node in the other one that way....such a shock how much stuff doesn't even show up on a mammo or even ultrasound!

ksusan

Thanks. My feeling was, better to find it than to not find it until later.

DancingElizabeth

Well...they did the biopsy and found some abnormal cells in the left but "no obvious signs of cancer" in it. HOWEVER, they decided I should have bilateral mastectomies - just in case. Not sure if what I in the left is DCIS?? But, will find out more tomorrow after my appt. with the BS. (Whatever it is - it's enough for them to want to proceed with Bilateral masectomies..

ElaineTherese

Yeah, the abnormal cells in the left means that a BMX makes sense in your case. Best wishes!

DancingElizabeth

So...just had a meeting w/the BS and its LCIS on the left....instead of DCIS. So...I changed that in my profile....and bilateral masectomies set for next week.....

Meow13

scared, I also have a mix idc and ilc. But on left.