2nd cancer in the midst of treating the 1st

actually, you can't tell if this new cancer was touched or not touched by the chemo cocktail.  It's not uncommon for other tumors and types of cancers to show up during the treatment when a different testing modality is used.  right now it's too early to tell until you have the pathology reports from the mast and get a really definitive info from the "slice and dice."  As an example, I had a third type of cancer found during the slice and dice that wasn't even found in the earlier tests.  Each time I had a test type, a new tumor or type of cancer was found.  It was only the final that gave us the full information.  So right now, take a deep breath and just be supportive until you have more information.  Don't borrow trouble.

I did surgery before chemo. They did find a small amount of LCIS in my other breast once I had an MRI. MRIs are more sensitive and can find things that a mammogram and ultra sound can not. The problem with MRIs is they do tend to show false positives since they are so sensitive. My MRI showed 4 suspicious areas but they were really concerned about one.

BTW LCIS rarely shows up in mammograms or ultra sounds.

a second tumor was discovered on my MRI, close to the first but of a completely different type.  The MRI also found  a second area of concern on my right breast but it tested B9. Karen

I had that too..found it at the end of my chemo..I had had a lumpectomy

and then I proceeded to have a mastectomy and then tamoxifen and arimidex..that

was 9 years ago..

This makes me nervous, because I felt a lump right after chemo and rads and biopsy said benign, but it still feels WRONG.   My BLMX isn't until March.   Can't get insurance to approve a 2nd opinion on the biopsy.

Faith, did you get recon?   I don't see many women who get mastec.  after lumpectomy/rads, which is what I am going to do - so I was just curious about your recon?  

dillymonster wrote:

I just finished chemo 4wks ago. I had a baseline mammo and an MRI to check for margins before starting radiation. An area on concern was found. An ultrasound and biopsy was ordered. They were not able to see it with U/S. An MRI guided biopsy was ordered. I received the results today, it was DCIS. How can that be?????? I had 6 rounds of TAC. My original lump diagnosed in apr was IDC with 3 positive lymph nodes. I had a lumpectomy (2.5cm) with axillary dissection. I also developed lymphedema 2 months into my chemo treatment. I have been struggling with controlling the lymphedema, and now this. The recommendation from my radiation oncologist for this new finding is a lumpectomy, and after the result of path if invasive mastectomy. She also said to delay mastectomy if it's what I choose till I complete radiation. I have an appt with my onco. Next week to discuss options. I am scared since I had lymph node involvement is there another stray atypical cells that they have not caught???? I don't know what to do. I have a little boy and a husband that are very scared, so is this mommy

Hi, just wanted to let you know my experience.  I had a 5cm, triple negative, IDC. I did neadjuvant chemo therapy with a good response.  It went down to 1 to 2 mm.  So, doctors were recommending a lumpectomy.  I instead elected to have a mastectomy.  Once the pathology report came back, I had clear margins but there was over 6 CM of DCIS.  The mammogram, ultrasound, MRI all missed the DCIS.  With regards to DCIS....DCIS is noninvasive (doesnt have the ability to grow outside the breast).  As I was told, Chemo does not work on DCIS.  Chemo is for invasive cancers.  DCIS should be removed as some believe that it is a pre-cursor to invasive cancer or that that the DCIS cells mutate and become invasive.  People who only have DCIS are considered stage 0.  So i think they just need to get the DCIS out.  Hope this helps.   

Since my last post I had another lumpectomy and received the results 2 days ago. They found an area oh DCIS and an area of IDC. I had my consult with my oncologist yesterday and he offered 2 options with the same survival rate ??? Have a mastectomy with radiation to follow (because of initial lumpectomy found lymph node involvement). He said that the axillary area would need to be radiated as well as the breast. The other option to just have radiation and have frequent mRI's and biopsies if area of concern is found. He said is I can handle the waiting in between the MRI's and path result if biopsies are done then I can choose the lateral. I am scheduled for a bait mastectomy and reconstruction on Nov 22nd, but I don't know if I am making the right decision. The onco just offered the choices but did not help me by providing me with solid info to help me decide. For instance, I have read many resources the stated that with breast cancer and recurrence that mastectomy was the decision. The onco said my survival rate is the same with either decision. Please help. Thanks

I think what is making my decision harder is the fact that I still need to have radiation. Also that the reconstruction process requires 2 surgeries. After my recovery which will be 6wks then I have radiation for 6 wks, then finally go back to surgery for nipple surgery. I know that it's a personal choice but I just need some solid facts to help me decide that the BMX surgery has a better survival rate and lowers the chance of recurrence. Can you steer me to articles that might help educate me more about MBX and recurrence rate. Thanks