anyone else request a 2nd look at slides?

Hi there, I didn't choose to have a second reading but my husband was transferred so I had to get a new surgeon who had my slides re read before she would do surgery.  The two did agree it was only dcis. It is my understanding that if the pathologist finds cancer they automatically send it to another pathologist. 

I too remember being ticked off.  I hated the radiologist that found it as well as my surgeon for not getting good margins, but now I realize they saved my life.  Emotions run high with this diagnosis just take it one day at a time.  You will get through this.  Mastectomy while no fun, is doable and I have never regretted my decision.  The good thing about mastectomy is you know exactly what you are dealing with.  If you have any questions let me know, I would be happy to share my experience.

Good Luck 

Many of the cancer experts recommend having pathology sent off to different labs for opinions so I don't think there is anything wrong with asking for another opinion.  It was something I did not know when I was diagnosed, but apparently pathology errors are pretty common.  You need to do whatever makes you comfortable with your treatment plan.

k ~ I had mine reread as part of a comprehensive second opinion at a major cancer facility, and the outcome led me to switch medical teams.  What was interesting is that, while their pathologist did not agree with the oddity about my pathology that I'd questioned (the reason I decided to seek a second opinion), their medical team also questioned something else about my treatment to date that turned out to be a pretty big oversight in my initial care.  So I am all for 2nd opinions, even though the first pathologist who read my slides had been touted as one of the best in the business.       Deanna

I recently got a second opinion on my slides at a major cancer center in our area and they found 2 small areas of invasion (not enough to change my treatment plan).  So, I'm glad I did do it as I was waffling on starting tamoxifen right away and this helped me make a decision.

I had my slides read 3 times.  The first reading said intermediate grade -- the second one done at another facility said intermediate to high grade and the third one which was done at yet another facility agreed with the first reading that it was intermediate grade.  Yes, it can be confusing.  I find myself wondering what would happen if I had it read again at another facility???

The slides from my first biopsy ended up being read by 4 different hospitals, 3 of which were cancer centers, prior to lumpectomy.  The slides from my second biopsy were read by the 3 cancer senters.  Everyone agreed.

I haven't bothered with a second opinion on the lumpectomy slides (yet, anyway) because it bascially agrees with the biopsy path.  And I think I'm just tired.  And having an easier time accepting that I'll have to go through more crap, um...I mean treatment (rads & Tamox).

It was the surgery decision that completely freaked me out, much more so than rads & Tamox.