please stop minimizing my diagnosis

 go have fun---love ya!

Hey, louishenry....

Please forgive me if it is obvious to everyone but me....how in the world would ANYONE know that "30-50% of untreated DCIS will become invasive" & better yet??? "primarily grade 3"?

Please enlighten me.

to all my sisters by a different mother - lets fight them together- Power in numbers and never let them off the hook. I will call the pathology lab in the AM because I want my results by the 8th and not one day later- I have some advantage in knowing how to work the system but honestly worry how many folks don't have a decent advocate?

Be Strong , as my mom said many many years ago "what they learn from me (us) will be helpful to others in the future"---meaning our neices, grand daughters, great grand daughters etc.

i have DCIS stage 0 but with a 8 cm tumor and grade 3 i'm not in the mood to take chances.

my one year diagnostic mammogram is in november and i am debating asking for an MRI as well.

i have read it sometimes finds cancer the mammograms missed.  my doctor says there are too many false positives but i think, what about the ones that weren't false?  also i'm not sure that insurance will pay for it.  i'm on medicare with a supplement.  

Allvigo71

Well I JUST LOVE your annolagy- (SP?) DCIC- scar , radiation, poss, chemo, if left alone; metz?
? NOT CANCER-no crying allowed, no emergency- I could scream.  Then with each advancing DX women AND men are allowed to increase their anxiety ACCORDING TO WHAT A PERSON WITHOUT CA THINKS IS OK???? BS AND I DON'T MEAN BREAST SURGEON!

 BTW My med onc told me just yesterday that "Melissa I believe you have made the right decision"  when I told him I am having a bilate mx on 10/19- I knew that for me anyway- BUT to hear it from him was everything! I have known him 2 years and have the highest regard for him.This is a doctor who calls me at home, calls me while I am on vacation- tells his office staff "give her any appointment she wants"-gave me his cell number and told me "we will talk again before the 19th" HE SHOULD BE CLONED

We make the decisions that are right for each of us--- good luck, all my support to you and you will be in my prayers daily!

And you could be right - and I need to learn from you,  life should not be taken so seriously!! GREAT THOUGHT and a good start to my day!   long hugs - don't be the first to let go!

There appears to be  a substantial body of  medical opinion, trying to sway public opinion against tests such as mammograms and PSA tests, as well as trying to remove the word "cancer" from early stage breast cancer and prostate cancer --- and are trying to influence the health insurance debate. They claim that the number of lives saved (i.e. us !!!) is not worth the cost to the public at large.  To them we are all anecdotes.  So what I'm suggesting if and when you have the time is to do a google search for mammography, or dcis, or cancer screening and you will find that you can often respond to the blogs and news articles should you differ with the  views expressed.

 For example, check out:

 http://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2009/07/are-we-finding-too-much-breast-cancer.html 

Ladies - as you see from my details, I live in England.

We don't have this thing going on here. (plenty of other not great things, but not this).

May I,  with all respect, suggest that something odd is going on with your US health authorities, and maybe you need to start complaining right now to your congressmen and women, or whoever you would complain to.  Frankly, there should be a nationwide outburst of fury in this regard.  Any sign s og the Pink People addressing this?

doh........

The problem with articles is that  they get syndicated worldwide a lot of the time so one ill informed bunch of tripe can spread very quickly.

 As none of us has yet stated where this entire thing commenced, if one merely assumed for a mo that it was in the US, is it the insurers that have the most to gain?

I know of patients that even if it was DCIS they chose to have chemo, just in case, some cases can be very aggressive, cancer is cancer, some with Stage IV can survived  and have a long life and others that believe 'I have DCIS "let their guard down, I work in a Cancer Center and we take seriously any sign of cancer, B.C is very unpredictable and no two patients are alike in the outcomes, treatments that work. Just tell them frankly that you do care to hear their opinions, that for you it is a serious matter your diagnosis.

Hi, this is my first post and I have a question on this subject.  My post-lumpectomy pathology report reads "invasive grade 2, mixed classical lobular and ductal carcinoma with associated low grade DCIS.  Size 13mm."  Although it mentions the DCIS it does not include it in the size of the tumour.  My BS explained that DCIS is not included in the sizing.  I live in Australia and am wondering if this is the same in the UK, US or anywhere else.  The DCIS component was 14mm.  I don't understand this, as obviously the DCIS was just as much cancer as the invasive component.  Now, if this isn't playing down the seriousness of DCIS, I would like to know what is.  It probably is to make the statistics look better.

Hi Kal52, This is off the BCO site, hope it helps :



DCIS: Non-invasive (or "in situ") cancers confine themselves to the ducts or lobules and do not spread to the surrounding tissues in the breast or other parts of the body. They can, however, develop into or raise your risk for a more serious, invasive cancer.



IDC/ILC: Invasive (or infiltrating) cancers have started to break through normal breast tissue barriers and invade surrounding areas. Read a study that discusses treatments to lower your risk of developing an invasive cancer after DCIS. Much more serious than non-invasive cancers, invasive cancers can spread cancer to other parts of the body through the bloodstream and lymphatic system.



So basically I think any invasive component "trumps" the DCIS as far as the doctors are concerned. I am NOT minimalizing anyones DX. I had both DCIS and IDC and would have had bilateral masts either way. Best wishes to you all

"yes I had some choice but the insurance company did NOT paying for the "Healthy Breast' to come off- even though the radiologist put me on a  6 month watch for suspicious activity and stability. We live in a crazy world and the men in the insurance industry and medical communities don't have DCIS in one breast to worry about.

I think we could solve their risky  decision making by reattaching my sick breast to their chest and see how much anxiety the waiting for the other "shoe to drop" so to speak feels to them!

Sick science fantasy of a DCIS patient.

Melissa,

I am pretty certain that due to legislation passed in the late 1990's that insurance companies are required to pay for the removal of the healthy breast and reconstruction. I think i saw someone post the exact legislative information on here at some point. Can anyone back me on this?

Insurance Coverage - State Laws

Source:  http://www.breastcenter.com/support/rights.php

1998 Federal Breast Reconstruction Law Signed into Law on October 21, 1998 - ASPS is working with federal regulators as they draft guidance on implementation of the new law. SEC. 901. SHORT TITLE. This title may be cited as the ''Women's Health and Cancer Rights Act of 1998''. SEC. 902. AMENDMENTS TO THE EMPLOYEE RETIREMENT INCOME SECURITY ACT OF 1974. (a) IN GENERAL.- Subpart B of part 7 of subtitle B of title I of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (29 U.S.C. 1185 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following new section: SEC. 713. REQUIRED COVERAGE FOR RECONSTRUCTIVE SURGERY FOLLOWING MASTECTOMIES. (a) IN GENERAL.- A group health plan, and a health insurance issuer providing health insurance coverage in connection with a group health plan, that provides medical and surgical benefits with respect to a mastectomy shall provide, in a case of a participant or beneficiary who is receiving benefits in connection with a mastectomy and who elects breast reconstruction in connection with such mastectomy, coverage for- (1) reconstruction of the breast on which the mastectomy has been performed; (2) surgery and reconstruction of the other breast to produce a symmetrical appearance; and (3) prostheses and physical complications all stages of mastectomy, including lymphedemas; in a manner determined in consultation with the attending physician and the patient. Such coverage may be subject to annual deductibles and coinsurance provisions as may be deemed appropriate and as are consistent with those established for other benefits under the plan or coverage. Written notice of the availability of such coverage shall be delivered to the participant upon enrollment and annually thereafter. (b) NOTICE.- A group health plan, and a health insurance issuer providing health insurance coverage in connection with a group health plan shall provide notice to each participant and beneficiary under such plan regarding the coverage required by this section in accordance 1078 with regulations promulgated by the Secretary. Such notice shall be in writing and prominently positioned in any literature or correspondence made available or distributed by the plan or issuer and shall be transmitted- (1) in the next mailing made by the plan or issuer to the participant or beneficiary; (2) as part of any yearly informational packet sent to the participant or beneficiary; or (3) not later than January 1, 1999; whichever is earlier. (c) PROHIBITIONS.- A group health plan, and a health insurance issuer offering group health insurance coverage in connection with a group health plan, may not- (1) deny to a patient eligibility, or continued eligibility, to enroll or to renew coverage under the terms of the plan, solely for the purpose of avoiding the requirements of this section; and (2) penalize or otherwise reduce or limit the reimbursement of an attending provider, or provide incentives (monetary or otherwise) to an attending provider, to induce such provider to provide care to an individual participant or beneficiary in a manner inconsistent with this section. 1079 (d) RULE OF CONSTRUCTION.- Nothing in this section shall be construed to prevent a group health plan or a health insurance issuer offering group health insurance coverage from negotiating the level and type of reimbursement with a provider for care provided in accordance with this section. (e) PREEMPTION, RELATION TO STATE LAWS.- (1) IN GENERAL.- Nothing in this section shall be construed to preempt any State law in effect on the date of enactment of this section with respect to health insurance coverage that requires coverage of at least the coverage of reconstructive breast surgery otherwise required under this section. (2) ERISA.- Nothing in this section shall be construed to affect or modify the provisions of section 514 with respect to group health plans.'' (3) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.- The table of contents in section 1 of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (29 U.S.C. 1001 note) is amended by inserting after the item relating to section 712 the following new item: (f) EFFECTIVE DATES.- (1) IN GENERAL.- The amendments made by this section shall apply with respect to plan years beginning on or after the date of enactment of this Act. 1080 (2) SPECIAL RULE FOR COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENTS.- In the case of a group health plan maintained pursuant to 1 or more collective bargaining agreements between employee representatives and 1 or more employers, any plan amendment made pursuant to a collective bargaining agreement relating to the plan which amends the plan solely to conform to any requirement added by this section shall not be treated as a termination of such collective bargaining agreement. SEC. 903. AMENDMENTS TO THE PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICE ACT. (a) GROUP MARKET.- Subpart 2 of part A of title XXVII of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 300gg-4 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following new section: SEC. 2706. REQUIRED COVERAGE FOR RECONSTRUCTIVE SURGERY FOLLOWING MASTECTOMIES. ''The provisions of section 713 of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 shall apply to group health plans, and health insurance issuers providing health insurance coverage in connection with group health plans, as if included in this subpart.''. (b) INDIVIDUAL MARKET.- Subpart 3 of part B of title XXVII of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 1081 300gg-51 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following new section: ''SEC. 2752. REQUIRED COVERAGE FOR RECONSTRUCTIVE SURGERY FOLLOWING MASTECTOMIES. ''The provisions of section 2706 shall apply to health insurance coverage offered by a health insurance issuer in the individual market in the same manner as they apply to health insurance coverage offered by a health insurance issuer in connection with a group health plan in the small or large group market.''. (c) EFFECTIVE DATES.- (1) GROUP PLANS.- (A) IN GENERAL.- The amendment made by subsection (a) shall apply to group health plans for plan years beginning on or after the date of enactment of this Act. (B) SPECIAL RULE FOR COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENTS.- In the case of a group health plan maintained pursuant to 1 or more collective bargaining agreements between employee representatives and 1 or more employers, any plan amendment made pursuant to a collective bargaining agreement relating to the plan which amends the plan solely to conform to any requirement added by the amendment made by 1082 subsection (a) shall not be treated as a termination of such collective bargaining agreement. (2) INDIVIDUAL PLANS.- The amendment made by subsection (b) shall apply with respect to health insurance coverage offered, sold, issued, renewed, in effect, or operated in the individual market on or after the date of enactment of this Act.  

wow thatnks!!!