Is there a difference between LVI and BVI

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Polyana
Polyana Member Posts: 200

Hi,

My pathology report says there is lymph vascular involvment which I was not aware about until I come across reading in this web site.

I read in the net that there is a difference between lymph vascular and blood vascular is that true, and what is the difference.

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  • chrissyb
    chrissyb Member Posts: 16,818
    edited June 2011

    Lymphovascular Invasion

    What it is: Tells whether the cancer cells are found in the blood vessels or lymph-carrying channels of the breast.

    Possible results: Present or absent.

    What the results mean: The blood vessels and lymph channels in the breast are part of a network that goes throughout the whole body. Having cancer cells there increases the risk of the cancer traveling outside the breast or coming back in the future.

  • Racy
    Racy Member Posts: 2,651
    edited June 2011

    Hi Chrissy



    Regarding lvi, my path report says 'not identified'. I have wondered if this means there wasn't any or they didn't test for it. Which do you think?

  • chrissyb
    chrissyb Member Posts: 16,818
    edited June 2011

    Hi Racy, my take would be that it was negative.

    Love n hugs.  Chrissy

  • Racy
    Racy Member Posts: 2,651
    edited June 2011

    Thanks Chrissy!



    I will check with my onc when I go for my post rads visit.



    I really enjoy your posts - so wise!

  • chrissyb
    chrissyb Member Posts: 16,818
    edited June 2011

    Hi Clyn, if you have questions or are unclear with anything on your path report it does pay to ask those questions of your doc and get him to explain all the ramifications of the report in everyday english that you can understand.   Sometimes, these docs just rattle off a whole lot of medical terms and they forget we did not go to medical school.

    Love n hugs.  Chrissy

  • chrissyb
    chrissyb Member Posts: 16,818
    edited June 2011

    Clyn that's exactly what it does and that is why it is used as a tool to decide how aggressive the treatment needs to be.

  • Polyana
    Polyana Member Posts: 200
    edited June 2011

    Does that mean if i had 4 tc before and after surgery it will do as my doc said this all what i need now am on tamoxifine how can we ensure that we r recieving the right treatment i mean would it be defined aggressive enough to take care of my cancer the other thing i want to ask about is glandular differentiation what does it mean as i scored 3

  • mdg
    mdg Member Posts: 3,571
    edited June 2011

    I too had LVI listed as present on path report.  My doc said it was part of the consideration for treatment but she would have had more concern if I was HER2+ or Grade 3 than being Stage 1 with LVI and grade 2.  I was super worried about it....everything I read indicated it means there is a pathway established for the cells to have spread or travel.....This was one factor I strongly considered when deciding on chemo or not.  I was kind of in a gray area on chemo and the LVI swayed me to do chemo.  There was not much information on LVI that I could find but what I did read was not positive :( 

  • chrissyb
    chrissyb Member Posts: 16,818
    edited June 2011

    Polyana, the treatment regime that was prescribed for you was appropriate and being on the Tamoxifen now is your safe guard.  The Tamoxifen works by attatching itself to any errant cells and starves them of what they feed on and that being estrogen as you are ER/PR+.  You will be checked on on a regular basis and monitored for any changes.  I have not heard of glandular differentiation so I can't comment on that.....the only differentation I know of is the differentiation reffered to when they are grading your cancer.

  • Polyana
    Polyana Member Posts: 200
    edited June 2011

    Chrissyb your replies r usefull wanna ask as well if any one had cpme across the pounding heart beat ever since i started chemo my heart never been z same my heart beats r either so or beat fast which reallly makes me worry allot about my well being in addition forgot to add zat my report said skeltel muscle whar is that and where is it in my chest ut seems they took it out is zat normal in mastectomies

  • chrissyb
    chrissyb Member Posts: 16,818
    edited June 2011

    Polyana your fast heart beat will be because of stress and that is just part and parcel with this Dx for many......but.....I would definitely mention it to your doc as it could also be because of high blood pressure and if it is you will possibly need some medication to bring it under control......This is very important and I can't stress that enough....you need to get it checked.

    If your tumor was located very close to the chest wall, it is quite normal for the doc to take the muscle that runs on top of your ribs under your breast as well.  This is called a radical mastectomy.  When you feel your scar, do you feel just bone under the skin?  If you do then that is what has happened.

    I'm happy that you find my answers to your questions useful.  Love n hugs.  Chrissy

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