Breast Cancers that Disappear Without Treatment?

Dierdre, because you don't have your cancer and stats on your signature line, I didn't realize you had DCIS. DCIS is hard to pick up on mammo except by microcalcifications which often go ignored or are put into a wait-and-see mode. That is one part of breast cancer, not the whole thing. DCIS is not something that can usually be picked up by self-exam either. I can see where you are coming from in so many ways now.

Full tumors are usually picked up on mammos. But as has been said, it is really the reader of the films that has our lives in their hands!

Yazmin  - I have seen Taxotere work remarkably well when used pre-adjuvantly with a large ER+ tumour. It obliterated the breast tumour completely - it disappeared to nothing. I have also seen FEC fail completely in a pre-adjuvant setting.

OncotypeDX is rejected by the UK National Health Service simply because it is still experimental. There isn't the data to completely support its use. It appears to be a very effective instrument but appearances can be deceptive! TAILORx trial is still many years away from coming up with any kind of definitive results. As of summer last year they were still only at enrollment stage and anticipated 2 more years of that.

Cancer is very big business - http://www.nytimes.com/2006/04/13/business/13diagnose.html?_r=1&pagewanted=1

Barbe...Genetech will help with the payments of the Oncotype DX test if you cannot afford it.......It is Not strictly for US patients only....Please visit OncotypeDX website......They have a toll free  number there that will help....

It is interesting to get the perspective on the onc test from those of you outside the US. My onc was all for me getting one, as long as I would sign up for the arimidex trial. They were wanting me to wait 2-3 weeks for the results of the onc test to decide on chemo and rads. I just wanted to get it all over with. When I told them I was thinking about not taking arimedex, I had constant arguments with the nurses to the point I was fuming everytime I left the onc. They said they would not sign for my insurance to do the test, unless I was in the study. I said forget it all. The onc had said I probably would not need chemo, and I did not want them to change their minds because of this test. I just wanted to start rads and get it over with. I am so glad I listened to my gut telling me not to go this route, especially now that you are saying it is not accurate. This test would have cost me over $1000. Another example of someone making a lot of money here in the US because of the big business of cancer. I really do not want to see nationalized health care because it will be a bureacratic nightmare, like everything else the government runs, but at least it does force health care givers to be fiscally responsible.