How Long Can I Wait for Surgery w/DCIS Diag and No IDC?

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DecisionFreak
DecisionFreak Member Posts: 589
edited September 2015 in DCIS (Ductal Carcinoma In Situ)

I had a needle excisional biopsy on September 14. The doctor's office said to call back after surgery to set up a time three weeks from the biopsy to discuss the path report. Five days later on September 18, the surgeon's nurse called to schedule a second surgery because the surgeon found DCIS. The nurse said the cells would definitely turn into breast cancer, and she gave me two to three weeks within which I could have a second surgery. That surgery is scheduled for this coming Friday. Now, after reading many of the posts on this site, I think it would be wise to have a second opinion. In fact, I never talked to the surgeon to get a first opinion, I never saw the path report from the needle excisional biopsy, and I never received any information on my surgical options. I had to research the topic myself and to suggest a mastectomy.

Can anyone tell me how long I can wait before surgery for DCIS? I think these calls have been sitting quiet for decades, but unfortunately, the radiologist saw calcification on the ultrasound and a subsequent stereoscopic biopsy showed atypical cells characteristic of ductal carcinoma in situ. The doctors have not yet found any evidence of invasive ductal cancer in the biopsies or on the many images taken, including mammograms, ultrasound, MRI, and a final set of mammograms immediately before surgery. Do I need to talk to an oncologist as well as to a surgeon? I actually never got a first opinion, as the doctor's nurse called me to set up another surgery without an appointment to go over the path report. I am wondering why the surgeon is in such a rush if he has not found any evidence yet of cancer and how long I can safely wait while I seek out some other opinions from various medical professionals.

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  • mefromcc
    mefromcc Member Posts: 188
    edited September 2015

    I don't know what the time frame should be, but I can tell you I saw the BS within a week of my stereotaxic biopsy the first week of April. My BS said there was no rush. I had my lumpectomy May 20, which found more DCIS. There were other events going on in my life and he said it was OK to delay the BMX. I didn't have that until after my 6 month mammogram. The BS had me see the oncologist and PS before the lumpectomy. I was on tamoxafin until my BMX.

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  • ksusan
    ksusan Member Posts: 4,505
    edited September 2015
    • I had a suspicious mammogram in the first week of December.
    • My radiologist okayed delaying biopsy to early January (December was full of international travel, his holiday, etc.).
    • Biopsy in early January showed DCIS grade 3. This caused a referral for an MRI.
    • MRI showed DCIS grade 1 and IDC in the other breast.
    • Biopsy of that breast the next week.
    • My surgeon okayed waiting until the end of February based on the indolence of the IDC.
    • Bilateral mastectomy 2/25 (no choice about this--lumpectomies weren't feasible).

    So--a 2.5 month delay was okay for my non-aggressive DCIS and IDC, for what it's worth.

    I think you have time to get a second (and first) opinion.

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  • Cowgirl13
    Cowgirl13 Member Posts: 1,936
    edited September 2015

    I would not let someone rush me into surgery. Before you do anything, get an appointment to go over path report and surgery options.

    And not with doc' nurse. I would also strongly suggest that you get a second opinion. You are not going to get cancer overnight.

    Thinking good thoughts for you.

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  • ChicagoReader
    ChicagoReader Member Posts: 110
    edited September 2015

    DecisionFreak, I waited 3 months from the time of my biopsy till surgery. I needed another surgery for an unrelated issue and my doctors wanted that to happen first and for me to heal completely before I had my lumpectomy. I used the time to get a second opinion on the pathology from my biopsy, research treatment options, and discuss them with my doctors. All agreed that there was no rush, as DCIS grows slowly.

    I repeatedly heard (and read) that doctors don't yet know which DCIS lesions will turn into cancer, so the nurse's statement about yours "definitely" doing so would be a big red flag that would send me running to consult others before scheduling surgery. I also can't imagine having a mastectomy without meeting with the surgery at least once to discuss the procedure and ask questions.

    At the same time, the final pathology report after surgery (lumpectomy or mastectomy) often provides the definitive answer about whether there is invasive cancer. Some patients want to schedule surgery quickly because they want that answer. But my breast surgeon, primary care doctor, and medical oncologist (MO) all assured me that waiting would NOT affect the actual outcome of the test.

    At some breast centers, patients meet with the MO before surgery; at others, they wait till after surgery. I met with the MO and a radiation oncologist (RO) before surgery because I needed to consult with them to help me decide whether to have a lumpectomy, which is usually followed by radiation, or a mastectomy, which typically doesn't require radiation though sometimes does.

    You should have plenty of time to make up your mind, talk to the surgeon, and get a second opinion.


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  • DecisionFreak
    DecisionFreak Member Posts: 589
    edited September 2015

    Thank all of you for your extremely useful and comforting replies. The nurse did not say that I had invasive breast cancer. She said I had DCIS that will definitely turn into breast cancer. Each and every one of you have given me the emotional strength it takes to turn my mind off and go to bed to get a good night's sleep.

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