Surprise Diagnosis after breast reduction - found out this week

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pollyanna5
pollyanna5 Member Posts: 85
edited June 2014 in DCIS (Ductal Carcinoma In Situ)

Hello everyone,   Just 48 hours since I have found out.  I had a breast reduction at the end of March and Wednesday at my post-op visit I was told that they found DCIS grade 2-3 from the tissue they removed from my right breast.  I was completely caught off guard.  I am young (just shy of 41), I have had 5 children, breastfed all of them for 18-24 months, etc).  I had never heard of DCIS before this.  They were very kind and had me into an oncologist that afternoon (in London).  She explained my pathology, and from what I understand, it is DCIS grade 2-3, and 15 of the 40 units removed had DCIS).  She explained it was a large area and reccommended a mastecomy. vs lumpectomy.

  After reviewing my history (all things I was going to bring up at my physical this summer) of a maternal aunt diagnosed with breast cancer (died from it 5 years ago), we discussed a mastecomy of the left breast as well.   I think she said they didn't take it account that my maternal great grandmother, great aunt (2) and then great-great grandmother and aunt, all had breasts removed according to my mom, but certianly seems to be a family history to me.   She punched a bunch of numbers in and said my risk of occurence in the other breast was 1 in 4.  Good enough for me, to not risk it.  Still in the shock and numb phase, although a bit less today.  I have to go for an MRI, meet with the plastic surgeon as I am leaning towards immediate reconstruction with abdominal fat as implants are an unknown to me.   I am more confortable with my own tissue being used, at least for now.

She did say it will be done within the next 2-3 months.   It is hard to believe I wouldn't have found it without this surgery or until it was likely more advanced.  Still kind of reeling from all of this.

Looking forward to reading others' experiences as well. 

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Comments

  • farmerlucy
    farmerlucy Member Posts: 3,985
    edited April 2014

    Hi Polly - Sorry you have to be here, but glad you found us. Yes - the surprise diagnosis are a real kick in the teeth. I had a PBM and a 1.1 cm IDC was found in the final path. I know you're probably going through all kinds of emotions right now. In the realm of BC DCIS is good. I know it is still unsettling. If you ever need to talk please feel free to PM me anytime. I have been there. Gentle hug.

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  • Annette47
    Annette47 Member Posts: 957
    edited April 2014

    The exact same thing happened to a friend of mine (she too chose a BMX), and while it's a shock to be told there was something wrong on your mammogram (as what happened to me), at least I knew what they were screening for.   To have it happen during a breast reduction when cancer was the farthest thing from your mind has got to be much worse.

    Best of luck to you!

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  • Infobabe
    Infobabe Member Posts: 1,083
    edited April 2014

    Polly, I think you are on the right track.  As you probably know, DCIS is noninvasive.  High grade is in more danger of becoming invasive, but still noninvasive.  In the end, you are going to be OK.

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  • JerseyMomOf3
    JerseyMomOf3 Member Posts: 96
    edited April 2014

    hi Polly,

    So sorry to hear- that must have been a shock. I too was Dx with DCIS this year and it was a shock too, because I only had a 25% chance of being "upgraded" to a cancer Dx after my multiple mammos and 3 core biopsies that only revealed atypia. Turns out I have multiple areas of DCIS plus 3 different kinds of atypical cells found extensively so I am also having a BMX with DIEP flap recon next month. I just turned 45 and breast fed all my 3 children too! I can tell you though once the shock wore off, I feel extremely fortunate that my Drs were so thorough, and this has allowed me to hopefully get out in front of this. I also feel very thankful for all the advances in recon so that we can have choices, not to mention all the women who have passed down their experiences. Although no one wants to have any kind of cancer, DCIS is non invasive and our prognosis is excellent. I wish you all the very best- in solidarity!

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  • RebzAmy
    RebzAmy Member Posts: 322
    edited April 2014

    Hi Polly

    What a shock for you and I'm sorry that you've had to find yourself here.  Interestingly, something similar happened to me except that I can see it from a completely differently angle in that I had a breast reduction, there was no screening or anything and a year and a half later I found a massive lump - in fact 2 as there was one in my armpit and one in my breast.  Had I been screened like you were, it would have been found as I also had widespread DCIS.  My medical team are so frustrated and angry that I wasn't screened - they just can't get their heads around it because anything which is removed should be biopsied anyway just in case!  Anyway so I was diagnosed stage 3, grade 3, HER2+ with a 4-5cm lump!  I can't say you're lucky at all but I can say that if you hadn't have had the reduction then maybe you wouldn't have found out until much later on down the line like I did!  Just a thought.  Wishing you all the best.

    RebzAmy

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  • pollyanna5
    pollyanna5 Member Posts: 85
    edited April 2014

    THanks all!   It certainly was a shock, and was the last thing I was expecting that day!  I had never heard of DCIS before Wednesday, so it's taken a few days to wrap my mind around all the terms.  I am so thankful it was found now at such an early stage before it became invasive.  I'm still confused about why some DCIS turns invasive, what triggers it, and why other DCIS's don't.  I'm sure I'm getting some of that wrong, but little mixed up on that still.  Either way, I'm going with the oncologist's recommendations.  I am hopefully they can do the reconstruction with the stomach fat, but I have to talk to the plastic surgeon about that.  She wasn't sure if my 4 c-sections would be an issue.  Not sure why they would be unless scar tissue?   Cancer is just such a scary word, but the doctor said that it is such a broad term, from a small lesion on the skin, to metazised through the body cancer, and all shades in between.  

    I'm self employed, so glad to be in Canada where it's covered by our healthcare system!

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