ALH/LCIS Risk

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cleomoon
cleomoon Member Posts: 443
edited June 2014 in High Risk for Breast Cancer

I am frustrated!! I have a pre-pre cursor ALH, and a marker for cancer LCIS. Is a marker more risk than a pre pre cursor? Yes in my head it is. And in my head the logic goes, that non invasive atypical lobular cells would look a lot like invasive lobular cancer cells. But this is not true? But sometimes DCIS looks very similar to LCIS...All the research is not helping me much right now.

I tend to feel like saying it's a coin toss whether I get cancer...I read the high risk article looking at individual vs. population risk that Leaf suggested in another post. Sure I have a higher than population Gail Score. But does that risk and now having LCIS added increase my risk? And does knowing this even really matter?  

I have been really wrestling with the PBM "aggressive" approach decision, these last two days. I saw my Mom battle Stage IV for years and dont want to do that if I dont have to. Dont want to put my family through that again either. If I had atypical cells in my cervix or uterus. I would not hesitate to have them removed. Stats said Mom should have been cancer free (statistically more likely) after the 5 year mark. Modified Radical Masectomy 1983, Bone mets found 1992...So I am not a big fan of statistics.

Oh why can't 1 +1=2?

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  • leaf
    leaf Member Posts: 8,188
    edited June 2009

    Hi there cleomoon.  I have LCIS and ALH too, as you know. I have a weak family history though.

    We all want to be ready for whatever is ahead for us.  Its very hard when the future is uncertain.

    I had a friend who started complaining of being tired about Feb 2009 (unusual for her).  They were working her up for anemia (which  can cause tiredness.)  She got diagnosed with stage IV brain cancer 2 weeks before she died in mid-May 2009. She didn't get 1 shot at chemo or radiation. She was 58. Life is uncertain.

    I think it really hits us emotionally when someone we know has been affected by a disease.  The child part of us thinks, "Well, that happened to him/her.  Why can't that happen to me?"

    Its hard to make decisions when there is so much unknown.

    Treatment choices are both a rational decision and an emotional decision.  There is no rush to make your decision.  There are also risks and benefits to PBM, as well as risks and benefits to tamoxifen and close monitoring.

    Some people find it helpful to make a chart and list the advantages and disadvantages in separate columns on a piece of paper.  Sometimes that makes our choices clearer.  Sometimes it takes a lot of time to see what is best for you.

    Some people find talking to another person helps.  Some start with an understanding friend, and if that isn't appropriate, some find talking to a therapist helps.  You have your own unique path.

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  • cleomoon
    cleomoon Member Posts: 443
    edited June 2009

    Thank you Leaf.

    You have helped me so much since I have been here.

    ((Hugs))

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