surgery revealed 3 types of cancer!

Seewee7

In February, I was diagnosed with IDC and DCIS. I think that means two types of cancer. I was triple positive (all 99%), Stage IIIA, grade 3.

Due to large size of 6 cm, I had neoadjunct TCHP treatment then mastectomy. The tumor seemed to shrink some, but never went away. My chemo oncologist kept stating it didn't feel like the typical lump and kept thinking what was left was a fatty tumor under the cancer.

Today my surgeon called to tell me the path report. One lymph node (sentinel) still had dead cancer cells in it, and she removed a total of 13 lymph nodes. She said the path report revealed I had IDC, DCIS, AND Lobular cancer. Three types. In addition, all three came back HER -. She said the HER + could have changed, or could have been resolved with the TCHP, and the other cancers weren't picked up because they were behind the biopsy spot. In addition, the HER - stuff would not respond to the chemo treatment I was on. She said one tumor was still over 6 cm, and another one had precancerous cells in it and was 10 cm. What?

Rads still a requirement, but won't know chemo next steps (if any) until I meet with chemo doc Sept 13. I was supposed to have Herceptin/Perjeta if cancer was gone and HER+, or change to Kadcyla if HER- and cancer still there. Now who knows!!

How does someone get 3 different types of breast cancers???? Has anyone heard of this?

Tmh0921

I had a combo of IDC and DCIS.

Last year, I had DCIS, ADH, and ALH. it does happen, though I think DCIS/IDC or LCIS/ILC is more common

Seewee7

Thanks for responding. I got good news today and don't want to diminish that.... I just am kind of shell shocked I think.

AliceBastable

The ductal/lobular combo happens, and DCIS/IDC happens, so it makes sense that some people are in the 3-way Venn diagram of cancers.

Seewee7

I have tried to educate myself through this whole journey, and just when I think I have my head wrapped around it, something new hits and I have to process what I thought I knew all over again!

Trishyla

Yeah, me. Not only 5 distinct kinds of cancer, but 7 tumors spread across both breasts. My surgeon called me her cancer factory. Lucky me.😏

Trish

Beesie

IDC develops from DCIS so they are often found together - it's not really two different types of cancer but the same cancer in different stages of progression.

Reading this board, it seems not uncommon to see women with a diagnosis that includes both IDC and ILC. Since DCIS goes hand-in-hand with IDC, I suspect that having all 3 is also not that unusual.

Seewee7

I will never understand how we got so lucky. 7. I can't wrap my head around that, either.

Seewee7

Thank you for the information. I'm just stunned.

Meow13

I had one ilc and one idc, one was highly e-cadherin expressive the other a total loss of e-cadherin, otherwise they looked very similar in er 95% pr negative and her2 negative. They were lumps and were not the typical linear form ilc pattern.

beach2beach

ILC,DCIS and LCIS all in one.