IDC after two rounds of DCIS

Celebris466

Hello all,

I have reading many of your courageous posts and trying to make some of my own decisions. I had DCIS back in 2005 treated with lumpectomy and radiation. Then DCIS gain same side treated with BMX. This year Recurrence IDC HR/PR+ again and Her2 negative. No nodes no spread. Had wide excision, clean margins and SNL again and all clear. I had my original saline implant removed (actually it was ruptured during biopsy anyway) and replaced with TE. My surgeon originally said no repeat radiation. However, late in the game now my Onc is say re rads. Terrified as I always heard no re rads. Worried about poor wound healing as I need to eventually have my TE removed and worried about current 4 inch incision reopening, etc. I thought I was on the road to 'not a cure' but moving forward and hoping to be diligent about it coming back again. Not to sound morbid but now I get the feeling this will never not stop,coming back. Who,p whomp I know but I don't feel my doctors have been honest with me. I am going to the dark worse case scenario and trying to decide to re radiate or not. Anyone here in the same boat? My docs keep saying my condition is rare and a grey area.

Not sure why no chemo then. My onco score was low 13 and with AI distance recurrence reduced to 4%. However I am beginning to think that it's local recurrences that will be the challenge.

KBeee

I would get a few opinions on the radiation and ask exactly what they plan to do...radiate the whole breast and nodes, just the area of the cancer, etc. Sorry you're dealing with this again. Cancer sucks.

Salamandra

I asked my RO about the radiation and he said that the amount they do for cancer is nowhere near the lifetime limit for the breast. So if your RO thinks it's fine, it seems really plausible.

Do you have access to a second opinion? Maybe from another cancer center that might have more experience with cases like yours? Most US insurance pays for it and a lot of places will do remote second opinions so you don't necessarily even have to travel in person.

I'm so sorry you have to deal with this. I hope this will be the time you get rid of it for good. The AI drugs really are impressive.

Celebris466

Thank you for the replies! I got three opinions from major cancer centers. All in favor of it —but with some difference in techniques. It just blows my mind. I am so afraid of the after effects and the what if’s if it returns after rads and my skin is like tissue paper. When I say in favor I really mean not opposed. It’s a grey area and I know they all want to do what is going to,stop,cancer from coming back again