Several ductal carcinomas in both breasts

dogsandjogs
dogsandjogs Member Posts: 1,907
edited June 2014 in IDC (Invasive Ductal Carcinoma)

My friend's annual mammogram showed atypical hyperplasia. Further tests and a biopsy showed IDC. She had a lumpectomy and was scheduled for radiation, but then the MRI showed something suspicious in the other breast so she had more tests done instead.  After 2 1/2 hours of biopsies of calcifications and various other things her pathology report shows a ductal carcinoma (in-situ) in the breast that recently had the lumpectomy and in the other breast she has two IDCs and 10 and 2 o'clock. They recommend a mastectomy for those. She does NOT want to have a mastectomy on either breast.  Any thoughts?  

PS Sounds like the mammogram missed everything except the original atypical hyperplasia.

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  • dogsandjogs
    dogsandjogs Member Posts: 1,907
    edited December 2011

    bump

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  • pupmom
    pupmom Member Posts: 5,068
    edited December 2011

    No suggestions, newbee here. It is horrifying that mammos miss so much though! Hope  MRIs are more accurate. My ILC was missed for years before finally being seen. They did an MRI on both breasts after I was dx'd, and saw nothing else,  but did the MRI reveal everything correctly???? Our lives are in the" hands" of these machines, their technicians and the docs who interpret the films!  

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  • nurseronda10
    nurseronda10 Member Posts: 209
    edited December 2011

    Mammogram missed my lump also.  Physician said I had the lump for 5-7 years.  So, so scary that yearly mammograms never picked it up.  Even had two mammograms in 2009.  Not taking anymore chances so having prophylactic mastectomy on remaining breast at same time as latissimus flap reconstruction on mastectomy side.  

    If it were me, I would be too afraid not to have a mastectomy.  Who knows, there could be smaller areas that are not big enough for MRI to see.  

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  • Pessa
    Pessa Member Posts: 519
    edited December 2011

    Similar story with me.  Mormal mammo 1 month before I found the lunp.  Lump was .9 cm IDC and later was found to have 8 cm of DCIS in same breast.  I had a bilat mastectomy, as it was clear thatmammograms would not find anything on me.  The MRI only showed the ICD, NOT the 8 cm of DCIS, so no way to find recurrance.

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  • shirleysangels22
    shirleysangels22 Member Posts: 36
    edited December 2011

    I'm so very sorry to hear about your friends findings. I know it's going to be tough for her to come to grips with whats going on. Have her go online to check out double mastectomy's. I had a double 7/28/11 with cancer only on the left side. With the help of my great Dr. and talking to my husband and daughter we decided that by taking both it would cut the change of the darn cancer coming back, Plus I didn't need chemo or radiation. I take Tamoxifen. Your such a good friend to be there for her. Please make sure that your friend weights all her avenues. Whatever she has done I'm sure you will be there for her. Best of luck and God bless you both.

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  • peggy_j
    peggy_j Member Posts: 1,700
    edited December 2011

    Sorry to hear your friend is going through this. Unfortunately, the mammogram and MRIs aren't perfect and each is better at detecting different things. (MRIs have better resolution and can find small tumors but my RO said they aren't good at finding DCIS)

    Anyway,  my BS said that when multiple tumors are found, they may recommend MX because the results from the lumpectomy may not be satisfactory. It might also matter how close the tumors are to the chest wall.  Has you friend considered a second opinion? I found a breast surgical oncologist (all BC, all the time) so perhaps someone with more focussed experience might have other perspectives? If your friend needs an MX, chances are she will be able to avoid radiation (which is typically recommended with lumpectomy) so just an FYI that while no one loves getting an MX, there are trade-offs with different treatments.

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  • drwendy
    drwendy Member Posts: 47
    edited December 2011

    I agree, I would be afraid NOT to have the mastectomy (and in fact will be having a bilateral myself once my chemo is done).  The fact that she has had several independently-arising masses should tell her that her breasts are cancer-makers. I would not want them hanging on my chest one day longer than necessary.  The newer techniques for recontstruction are frankly amazing, tell her to look online for some photos.  Even non-reconstructed does not look nearly as scary as she is probably expecting.  Was talking to a client about this today, wondering why women resist lifesaving surgery and he said that women were too concerned about how a dress is going to look on their bodies, and should be more concerned about being around to wear the dress at all.  Good advice, I think.  Best of luck to your friend.

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  • dogsandjogs
    dogsandjogs Member Posts: 1,907
    edited December 2011

    Thanks everyone!

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  • mikita5
    mikita5 Member Posts: 373
    edited December 2011

    Mammo showed calcifications, so further test were done... Conclusion: DCIS in right breast.... I opted for bilat mx with immediate DIEP reconstruction.  Pathology came back on cancerous breast with two more DCIS spots that mammo didn't show... If I hadn't had mx, I'd have been dealing with it all over again in the near future!  I did bilat mx against wishes of oncologist and others... Go with your first intuition!!!

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  • dogsandjogs
    dogsandjogs Member Posts: 1,907
    edited February 2012

    My friend listened to reason and had a double mastectomy last week.  She is thinking about skipping reconstruction, but not sure yet

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