Extensive DCIS without IDC?
Comments
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Bessie, Thank you so much for the insightful information. I found it interesting that you sent the link for the article on "MRI Better at Finding DCIS Than Mammograms." I was just reading an article/blog this morning written by someone who was also diagnosed with DCIS (http://mammogramsanddcis.blogspot.com), and she was extremely angry that no one had ever suggested that she have a Breast MRI. I am now feeling the same way. It is a lengthy article but worth reading. With my family history, someone should have suggested it along the way. I go to a reputable GYN and Breast Care Center, and the topic of MRI has never come up. I may have been able to detect my DCIS long before it reached the 6+ cm size, even if alternating them with regular mammograms, and have been able to avoid a mastectomy.
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I am familiar with the blog that you mentioned. I'm not a fan. I think that having a diagnostic MRI after a biopsy diagnosis of DCIS makes sense, but I don't support the idea of using MRIs as a screening tool for all women. It is true that they result in too many false positives, leading to too many unnecessary biopsies. It is not just a cost issue, as is implied in the blog. Having a breast biopsy can lead to the development of scar tissue, fat necrosis and calcifications - all things that can lead to more unnecessary biopsies down the road. So there really is a downside to putting everyone through screening MRIs. That said, there are some women - particularly those with extremely dense breasts - who do benefit from MRIs. And it's absolutely true that we need better screening techniques. But it is getting better. Digital mammos are better than film, and 3D mammos are said to be on par with MRIs.
Personally I'm not a fan of most blogs. If they are just written to let people know how someone is doing, great. But as soon as someone starts spouting medical information, I get nervous. Whatever they write is just one person's opinion, usually based on just his or her own experience. They might quote research studies, but they can selectively pick only the studies that support their own perspective. What really concerns me is that whatever is written, the opinion stands as fact, whether it is factual or not. There is no one who can respond and offer a different opinion or point out an error. That's why I prefer this board. Anything I write can be responded to publicly. If I've made an error, someone is sure to point it out. I don't want to influence people based on my own opinion or what happened in my case; I want to try to provide factual information so that people can form their own opinions and make their own decisions. People who offer medical opinions in blogs (or who start their own websites to promote a particular medical issue) usually want to bring others over to their way of thinking. The other problem is too often the people who start these sorts of blogs, ones that put out a strong position on a medical issue, are people who have an axe to grind or some disagreement with the medical community. Clearly that's the case here, since the writer believes that her MX could have been avoided if she'd had an MRI and her DCIS had been detected sooner. So she is looking at the issue with a very strong bias.
My general advice to anyone is to be careful with blogs, and to try to get medical information only from medical journals and websites known to have reliable medical information such as the NCCN, NCI, ACS, and hospital sites, etc., 'expert' sites that are written by doctors (and preferably a group of doctors vs. just one doctor's opinion).
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I had 7 cm of DCIS and no invasive component was found after MX. My oncologist mentions every time I see him that he is so surprised that no invasive cancer was found. Best wishes for good news and a smooth surgery on 3/1.
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Just an update, had preliminary path and no invasive found. I am feeling lucky. Thanks to all who shared for giving me hope as well as reality checks.
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That is great news! I hope you are recovering well from your MX and DIEP, getting lots of rest, and experiencing the relief of having these big events behind you.
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Annajo, that's great news!!
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Hi Annajo,
I had my lumpectomy last week, and my surgeon had scheduled a post-op appointment in advance, in the whirlwind of the surgery scheduling. I met with her wed. She discussed results, but she also checked to see how my incisions were healing. So I waited a week and a half. And thankfully, I stayed at DCIS too, seemingly borderline at an intermediate/high level of bad behavior. I never thought I would be so relieved to go to my radiation "fitting."
I wish you the best...
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