Path report help. Scared and young

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Ashley316
Ashley316 Member Posts: 16
edited February 2015 in Just Diagnosed
Path report help. Scared and young
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  • Ashley316
    Ashley316 Member Posts: 16
    edited February 2015

    hello. I'm new here. Before I get into my path report. I'll give you all a little background on my situation .Im 27 years old. About 7weeks ago I felt a small lump on my left breast. After visiting my obgyn she sent me to a ultra sound and eventually a breast specialist. Through all of this their opinion was it was most likely a fibroadenoma and nothing to be worried about. Anyway after seeing the breast specialist, he recommended to have an excisional biopsy to not only get results but just get it out for peace of mind. I agreed and had a successful surgery last week in which the whole lump was removed. I got my results a couple days after. Unfortunately not what I had planned. They found the lump to be malignant. This is what the pathology report said :

    INFILTRATING DUCT CARCINOMA WITH MUCINOUS DIFFERENTIATION. DUCT CARCINOMA IN SITU MICROSCOPIC FOCUS.


    Also it looks like I'm triple positive.


    Waiting for my local cancer institute to call me and schedule me for an appointment.


    The good thing is the lump is out and not inside me still growing. Just wondering what the above sounds like. It sounds like maybe it's an early stage and treatable ? Just need some comfort and hope and insight at this point

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  • Moderators
    Moderators Member Posts: 25,912
    edited February 2015

    Hi Ashley-

    First, we want to welcome you to our community here at BCO. We're sorry for what brings you here, but we're glad you've found us.

    reliable information on IDC — Invasive Ductal Carcinoma where you'll learn about symptoms, diagnosis, treatment, etc.

    Please let us know how you're getting on after your appointment, you're in our thoughts!

    The Mods


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  • Ariom
    Ariom Member Posts: 6,197
    edited February 2015

    Hello Ashley, I am sorry you have had to join us here, but very glad you found us. You'll find this is a great place for support and advice. There are many women here who have had the same Dx and will be along to share their experiences with you. In the meantime, there are threads on IDC where you can make contact with others with the same, or similar Dx.

    I can only imagine how shocked you must have been, to get this unexpected Dx, especially at your young age. It certainly sounds like you have a good pro active Doctor, who is looking after you well.

    The waiting is very difficult, but once you get the call and have your appointment set up, you'll feel better and then when you go for that appointment and have a treatment plan in place, you'll feel more in control of the situation.

    I wish you all the very best, keep posting and let us know how you're getting on.((((((Hugs))))

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  • Ashley316
    Ashley316 Member Posts: 16
    edited February 2015

    Thank you for the replies. The only thing that really confuses me it's says infiltrating tumor with mucinous differentiation and then goes on to say DCIS microscopic focus. What does this mean ?

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  • bobogirl
    bobogirl Member Posts: 2,777
    edited February 2015

    Hi Ashley! You are doing the right thing to come here. Keep posting! This is a great community of sisters.

    I wanted to give you a tiny piece of advice. Stay away from Dr. Google! He is not your friend right now. Looking things up may make you more panicked, but for no reason, since what you read might not have anything to do with your situation.

    Could you call the ca center you're going to and ask to speak to the breast navigator? There is usually a breast navigator -- a nurse -- and she can connect you to people who can help you. You are in the hardest part of this -- the waiting. Use the time to touch base with your nurse navigator. Perhaps she can get you an earlier appointment, among other things.

    Sending you hugs. XXXXOOOO

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  • farmerlucy
    farmerlucy Member Posts: 3,985
    edited February 2015
    Oh Ashley - It is so unfair that you have to deal with this at your age. What a shock it must be.
    From what you have written it looks like you have a mixture of IDC and some DCIS. The IDC trumps the DCIS so your treatment will probably be geared toward that. Take things step by step. As the ladies have said, we're here for you. Lean on us. Please let us know how everything goes.
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  • Ashley316
    Ashley316 Member Posts: 16
    edited February 2015

    is IDC something that can be treatable and managed. I just want to live my life. I have so much to do

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  • Ashley316
    Ashley316 Member Posts: 16
    edited February 2015

    I know this may sound stupid but is there any way to avoid chemo ? Like what if I had a mastectomy

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  • Ashley316
    Ashley316 Member Posts: 16
    edited February 2015

    My doc said they should give me a call tomorrow. I know it sounds vein but I want to have kids someday. And my hair ... I just am scared and want to live and get married someday


    And in regards to HER2+ as people have mentioned. Are you in remission ?

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  • bobogirl
    bobogirl Member Posts: 2,777
    edited February 2015

    Ashley, that is not a vain wish. Have you had a look at the Young Survivors Coalition (YSC) website? There are many young women living and thriving after a b c diagnosis.

    kayb, you are a rockstar :)

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  • bobogirl
    bobogirl Member Posts: 2,777
    edited February 2015

    Ashley:

    http://www.youngsurvival.org/

    This is the link for the Young Women's Survival Coalition. XXX

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  • Dogsneverlie
    Dogsneverlie Member Posts: 278
    edited February 2015

    Hi Ashley,

    I am so sorry for what you are going through but so very happy you found us.  I have to agree with bobogirl - while Google is great, it is NOT your friend right now - the forums on this site, the ladies out here (all ages), and your medical team will help guide you through this.  You will have real advice from women who have worked through all of the challenges and come thru this journey.

    Can someone like your mom, an aunt, someone a little older go with you to the doctor appointments? It's so much easier when you have someone with you - someone you are comfortable with that can sit in the exam rooms with you too.  If you ask your doctor a question and don't understand the answer, make sure to speak up - - that is one of the best things you can do for yourself.  They see so many women and can speak so fast at times, they don't realize you might not be following them.

    NO QUESTION is stupid and you should ask all the questions you want to - with ANYONE.

    I too am sending you hugs.

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  • MarcelaBR
    MarcelaBR Member Posts: 34
    edited February 2015

    Ashley I am so so sorry that you have to be here. I'm 25 years old, and I was first diagnosed at 23, so I 100% understand the unfairness of being young and having BC. Honestly, it is never fair...

    I am not triple +, just HER2+. I've been trough chemo, surgery, radiation, then the cancer came back, surgery again and now chemo again so my path has been a long one... and the number one thing that I have to say to you is YOU CAN DO IT. Chemo is not what we imagine, I promise. It sucks, but it is not the end of the world.

    Try not to scare yourself with words like INFILTRATING. When I read the word infiltrating in my test results for the first time I was sure that there was cancer infiltrated in all of my body, and that my world was finished but a very patient doctor explained to me that it was not what it meant. At all. So don't get conclusions or make crazy life plans in your mind without having all the information. About having kids and your hair...there is always a way, I assure you. We can talk about that more if you want...

    Honestly it is very hard to find woman our age that are going trough this, so if you have questions, as many as you have, it doesn't matter how stupid or vain you may think they are, don't be afraid to ask me. You can PM me at any time...

    Where are you from? I live in Brazil, but you would be surprised in how similar (no, not similar, exactly the same!!) treatment options are, and also difficulties, dramas, scary thoughts... we are all the same...

    Keep strong and positive!

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  • Ashley316
    Ashley316 Member Posts: 16
    edited February 2015

    you are all so beautiful and so inspiring. I am also a prek teacher. I'm so nervous I will have to stop all of this to get better. I have a very very strong system of support around me which is good. I'm just so nervous about the pain and sickness and not being able to do things normal. While you all were undergoing treatments, were you still able to do regular daily activities ? ( going out to dinner or concerts for example



    And does the fact that the tumor was removed kinda help my case ??

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  • ben50
    ben50 Member Posts: 46
    edited February 2015

    Hey Ashley,

    My wife was 25 when she diagnosed with triple positive BC just like you -- and also IDC. Bottom line is triple positive is incredibly treatable with very good outcomes. You'll hear so many medical terms thrown at you in the next few weeks, but I'll give you two that will hopefully give you some added peace of mind: Herceptin and Perjeta. These are HER2+'s worst enemy. They are drugs specifically designed to target the HER2+ protein and has made HER2+ one of the most treatable kinds of BC. My wife is a working professional and 4-5 months of chemo didn't slow her down too much. She was still able to work full-time and only took a day off for chemo (on Thursday) and then Friday to recover. On a positive note, chemotherapy was very effective for her and completely melted her tumor away within a few weeks (the chemical cocktail for HER2+ is typically very effective).

    I won't sugarcoat the fact that BC at such a young age does indeed totally sucks and can present with unique challenges. It did completely hinder our plans at having kids at 27 and my wife absolutely hated losing her hair (this doesn't mean you will). I won't try to guess what your treatment will be as you are still in the very early stages of figuring out what's going on. Instead, I'll try to convey to you what we needed to hear at the very beginning: You're going to be fine -- HER2+ is not a scary thing anymore. So much is going to happen in the next few weeks. Please remember it's 2015, treatment is very – VERY good these days, and take time to breath!

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  • ben50
    ben50 Member Posts: 46
    edited February 2015

    Hey Ashley,

    My wife was 25 when she diagnosed with triple positive BC just like you -- and also IDC. Bottom line is triple positive is incredibly treatable with very good outcomes. You'll hear so many medical terms thrown at you in the next few weeks, but I'll give you two that will hopefully give you some added peace of mind: Herceptin and Perjeta. These are HER2+'s worst enemy. They are drugs specifically designed to target the HER2+ protein and has made HER2+ one of the most treatable kinds of BC. My wife is a working professional and 4-5 months of chemo didn't slow her down too much. She was still able to work full-time and only took a day off for chemo (on Thursday) and then Friday to recover. On a positive note, chemotherapy was very effective for her and completely melted her tumor away within a few weeks (the chemical cocktail for HER2+ is typically very effective).

    I won't sugarcoat the fact that BC at such a young age does indeed totally sucks and can present with unique challenges. It did completely hinder our plans at having kids at 27 and my wife absolutely hated losing her hair (this doesn't mean you will). I won't try to guess what your treatment will be as you are still in the very early stages of figuring out what's going on. Instead, I'll try to convey to you what we needed to hear at the very beginning: You're going to be fine -- HER2+ is not a scary thing anymore. So much is going to happen in the next few weeks. Please remember it's 2015, treatment is very – VERY good these days, and take time to breath!

    Oops didn't mean to delete that – but if have any questions as to what to expect regarding our similar statistics, just let me know!

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  • MsPharoah
    MsPharoah Member Posts: 1,034
    edited February 2015

    Hi Ashley and a big hug coming your way. I am really sad that you have to deal with this disease; it is just not fair. I wanted to let you know that this is the difficult time, grasping the fact that you have BC, and taking in all the important information you need to make a decision about your treatment....waiting for appointments, etc. Make sure that you get second opinions when needed and have someone take good notes for you when you meet with your medical team. I'm sure you have close loved ones and they will be there to support you in this.

    I had a lumpectomy, chemo and radiation, followed by hormone therapy. I did well through all the treatment and worked throughout...went out to dinner, even went on a trip or two. I had several days when I felt like I had the flu and I had a lot of fatigue. Fortunately, my husband took care of things so I was able to rest when I needed. It is different for everyone and you can't predict how you will respond to any treatment so the best advice is to put your health first and foremost, but don't necessarily expect to feel lousy all the time. I lost my hair but I found several beautiful wigs, and most people didn't know that they were wigs, even colleagues at work!!

    Once my treatment plan was established, things settled down for me. No longer anxious, I could focus on killing cancer. I came to see chemo and radiation as my friend...continually imagining the hell I was putting that damn cancer through. Throughout chemo and radiation, I participated in BC.org threads with others going through the same treatment and that really helped me.

    You will find these boards a great source of information and support. Stay connected...we care.

    Love, MsP

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  • Ashley316
    Ashley316 Member Posts: 16
    edited February 2015

    You are all so wonderful and this is very comforting. Just got a call from my local cancer institute for a consult on Thursday. So that's good. Will they run tests this day too ?


    Also about having kids, anyone out there have kids after their cancer ?

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  • bobogirl
    bobogirl Member Posts: 2,777
    edited February 2015

    OMG, Ashley, so many of us have kids after ca! There are special threads (in other words, topics) here about just that. Wait, I'm going to go find one for you.

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  • bobogirl
    bobogirl Member Posts: 2,777
    edited February 2015

    Here is a group of women who are all triple positive, like I believe you are. Look how many of you there are!

    https://community.breastcancer.org/forum/80/topic/...

    Here is a thread for women in their twenties, like you:

    https://community.breastcancer.org/forum/27/topic/...

    Should your plan include chemotherapy, here is an excellent thread about getting prepared:

    https://community.breastcancer.org/forum/69/topic/...

    Sending you hugs. XXX


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  • Ashley316
    Ashley316 Member Posts: 16
    edited February 2015

    thank you for being so caring.

    So since I had the lump removed during excisional biopsy? Is that considered a lumpectomy?

    Wondering what to expect when I go in for consultation thursday. Do you think I will have mri or scans the same day

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  • bobogirl
    bobogirl Member Posts: 2,777
    edited February 2015

    Ashley,

    In my experience, MRIs and other scans are usually 'ordered' by the doctor, and it can take some time to schedule them. That does not mean you will not have one on Thursday -- every hospital is different -- but that has been my experience. If they have said 'consultation,' it is likely that your appointment will be a chance for you to make a plan with your doctor.

    When you have a biopsy and they take the entire area of concern out, that is called an 'excisional biopsy.' When you have surgery to remove a tumor and they take the whole tumor out, that is called a 'lumpectomy.' You can see how it sounds like the same thing! I am not a doctor -- and many here are more knowledgable than I am -- but I do see the term 'lumpectomy' associated with removing something that has already been biopsied.

    My first surgery, after many biopsies, was called a 'partial mastectomy,' because they removed such a large lump (it was long) that it had its own name. But doctors also referred to this same surgery as a 'lumpectomy.' Is this helping? Or just making it more confusing? :)

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  • Ashley316
    Ashley316 Member Posts: 16
    edited February 2015

    I appreciate the help and response but I'm still a little confused. So if they took out the whole lump( which is what my doc said) how can I have a lumpectomy if said lump is gone ? And since the lump has been removed does this help

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  • Ariom
    Ariom Member Posts: 6,197
    edited February 2015

    Hi again Ashley, We completely understand your confusion here and of course there isn't anyone other than your Doctor who can give you the definitive answers to all these questions that are coming up.

    As far as I know, an excisional biopsy and a lumpectomy are very similar, since the lump has been removed, but a Lumpectomy is performed after, there is a Dx of malignancy and clear margins are required. Your Doctor will go over all this with you so you understand everything, at your appointment.

    Do you have someone to go with you? It is very helpful to have another set of ears, because it is easy to miss things when we are nervous and it feels like an information overload. As Bobo mentioned, it really depends on where you go, some facilities can do tests the same day, others have to be booked in advance. Your Doctor will make sure you are looked after and will get things moving quickly.

    Stick with us here and let us know how you're doing. It won't be long till you have your appointment, try to take it easy and breathe, you will do just fine.

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  • Ashley316
    Ashley316 Member Posts: 16
    edited February 2015

    I do have a very strong support system. My mother and boyfriend are going with me thursday to meet with the doctors at the cancer clinic. I just hate all this waiting


    Is there anyway that chemo xan be avoided if your her2+

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  • SpecialK
    SpecialK Member Posts: 16,486
    edited February 2015

    Ashley - avoiding chemo if Her2+ usually only happens if your mass is exceedingly tiny.  Do you have a pathology report that indicates size of what was removed?  Is your appointment with your breast surgeon?  Information regarding chemo needs to come from a consult with a medical oncologist.  You had asked previously about excisional biopsy versus lumpectomy - whether you require another surgery would also be dependent on the margins achieved with your previous surgery.  They definitely want to make sure that they have a clean margin of healthy tissue surrounding all sides of the tumor - ask your surgeon about this.

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  • MarcelaBR
    MarcelaBR Member Posts: 34
    edited February 2015

    Ashley, I see that you are very concerned about having chemo, and if you are like me I bet a large portion of your concern is regarding hair. You still have a lot to figure out before this, but since I am feeling that it is really bothering you, you should check the thread on cold caps (just search for "cold caps", it is the one called keeping hair or something like that). Loosing your hair through chemo can sometimes be avoided, depending on the drugs you are in. It is not easy, and not a 100% guarantee that it will work (I did loose some hair so I chose to wear a wig just for the time being, but the cap that I am using is not the most effective one available in the market) but if you are very very worried it can be definetly worth a try. I know that reading the past successful experiences from other women really calmed my nerves...

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  • bobogirl
    bobogirl Member Posts: 2,777
    edited February 2015

    SpecialK, I think you should just go to the hospital, put on a white coat, and immediately be a doctor! :)

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  • SpecialK
    SpecialK Member Posts: 16,486
    edited February 2015

    bobo - I might get in trouble if I did that, lol!  Although didn't some teenager pull that off for a month before he was caught just recently?  In Florida, I might add!

    http://www.inquisitr.com/1760973/hes-no-doogie-howser-teenager-posed-as-a-doctor-at-a-florida-hospital/

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  • Mommato3
    Mommato3 Member Posts: 633
    edited February 2015

    Ashley, try not to fear chemo. I know it's easier said than done. One thing I've learned through all this is that just because it has a side effect doesn't mean I'll get all, most or even some of them. There are a lot of women (and men) here that can give you helpful tips to deal with any side effects you may get. Being Her2+ typically means you get chemo. Only the really small tumors may not. But that's a conversation you'll need to have with your MO. There have been a lot of advances made with Her2. It's not as bad as it used to be!

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