Just heard my wife has high grade, DCIS non-invasive.

dcis means the cancer in situ so it didn't spread. She doesn't need a pet scan. High grade means it's poorly differiated. I think your wife is fine. 

Did the doctor explain the path report in detail with you and your wife? You should def talk to the breast surgeon or radiologist for better understanding of the report. 

Yojimbo, another good place for your wife and you to learn more is in the DCIS section of the main Breastcancer.org site, and of course you can count on this great community for their experiences and support.

Yojimbo - Welcome!  I'm so sorry you have to be here, but so happy that you've found this community - and I think you will be too.  If you have  to get breast cancer, high grade DCIS non-invasive is a pretty good one to have.  When diagnosed initially with DCIS, I started with an excisional biopsy to remove the mass.  However, during the surgery my BS quite unexpectedly also found an abundance of LCIS as well.  Because my breasts have always mirrored one another, I opted for a BMX with immediate reconstruction so I was back on the table three weeks later.

You will need to go with her or have someone go with her to all of these early appointments where a plan for treatment will be discussed.  Believe me, as the patient, you don't hear even half of what's being discussed in that room.  It's very helpful to have another set of ears to take it all in.  If you can, take notes, or record the session.

The beginning is the worst.  Waiting for appointments, waiting for tests, waiting for test results, waiting, waiting, waiting...  Waiting is a special kind of torture that we're all very familiar with.  So depending on your wife's stress level, you might want to ask for anti-anxiety meds and something to help her sleep at night.  Just a thought.

Please let us know if you need anything or have any more questions.  Beesie is our resident guru when it comes to DCIS, so if she hasn't been here already, she'll be here soon.  Take care and please let us know how things are going.  Sending you both a hug and a prayer....

I was diagnosed with stage 1a Invasive Lobular Carcinoma in September.  I have learned a lot along the way:

• The best advice I received was "don't invite trouble; go with what you know".  DCIS is contained in the duct and is not invasive yet.  Hang on to that until you find out something different.
• Don't search too much on the internet.  There is soooo much contradicting information.  It can be confusing, frustrating, and downright scary.  This site is a great place for information and there are a lot of women who have been there, done that.  I echo the recommendation that you visit the DCIS thread.
• Tumor size and probable staging will not be set in stone until after the lumpectomy or mastectomy pathology reports are in.  My biopsy pathology report showed I had a 2 cm tumor, when my largest tumor was only 17 mm.  They also suspected I was a stage 2b, possibly a 3. Final staging is a 1a.
• The next few weeks will be a whirlwind, rollercoaster ride.  If you can, go with your wife on her key doctor appts so you can take notes.  This is all so new and raw that she will only remember key words or phrases.  Having notes or a recording of the meeting is very helpful.
• Attitude is everything!  Stay positive!

Best of luck!!

Yojimbo, I'm sorry that your wife has been diagnosed.  But yes, it could be a lot worse than high grade DCIS. 

In their earlier post, the Moderators provided a link to the excellent breastcancer.org section about DCIS.  And here is a link to a thread that I wrote some time ago, detailing what I've learned about DCIS over these years: A layperson's guide to DCIS

Another thread from the DCIS forum that might be helpful is this one: lumpectomy vs mastectomy - why did you choose your route?   While your wife might require the mastectomy (MX) because of the large area of DCIS and the size of her breasts, she does have the option of having a unilateral MX (UMX), as Ariom did (and as I did as well).  Having a bilateral mastectomy (BMX), i.e. removing the second breast, is entirely your wife's decision - it's not a medical necessity.  Your wife might know that she wants the BMX or she might decide that it's the best choice for her, but there is a lot of emotion and physical change involved with this, and it's important to really understand what's involved.  Although the discussion thread that I linked has a title that talks about the lumpectomy vs. mastectomy choice, the posts in that thread will also help your wife decide between a UMX and a BMX.

Hope that helps!

i think you can ask your wife's BS or MO about a pet scan. the MO (first opinion) ordered one for me.

the BS might perform a sentinel node dissection...if they see fit. after the surgery (MX or LX) the pathology report will be able to tell you more about the cancer. and a pet scan is a lot of radiation to go thru for someone who's not really feeling well already in general. and within 24 hours after pet scan, she can't go near the baby. that's how bad it is. btw, you wife needs to be physically okay to go thru the surgery. they'll do some tests to make sure. i think you are ahead of yourself here. but you should bring that up to your wife's doctors/team.

i am sorry about your wife. but DCIS is completely curable from what i've read.

Yojimbo - We'll all be right there with you tomorrow!  Please let us know how it goes!