DCIS treatment - lumpectomy, radiation AND Tamoxifen???

Options
Anonymous
Anonymous Member Posts: 1,376
edited February 2018 in DCIS (Ductal Carcinoma In Situ)
DCIS treatment - lumpectomy, radiation AND Tamoxifen???
· Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Comments

  • Paco
    Paco Member Posts: 208
    edited January 2018

    Just got back from my consult with the breast surgeon. I went in there thinking I was going to get a bilateral mastectomy with nipple sparing (no reconstruction) and leave it at that to treat my grade 3 DCIS. I walked out scheduled for a lumpectomy, radiation and hormone therapy... UGH.

    The surgeon from Roswell said there was no getting around the hormone therapy, even with a mastectomy.  She said my cancer cells were so strongly ER / PR positive that we need to lessen the ability of the hormones to fuel future growth. She also suggested that lumpectomy and radiation was better at clearing out any possible cancer lurking in there, even better than a mastectomy alone could. On the one hand, lumpectomy is outpatient, she said it would take an hour, tops and  I would be back to my regular life a lot faster but the thought of having mammos and MRIs every six months is not what I was hoping for. 

    So, there it is. Posting this now and I will update as the treatment gets done, just for current and future readers.

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • tlfrank
    tlfrank Member Posts: 199
    edited January 2018

    You're describing my treatment course directly. Biopsy, Lumpectomy, Radiation and now Tamoxifen...

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • ps0705
    ps0705 Member Posts: 122
    edited January 2018

    Sounds like your plan is pretty standard. I have a similar dx. but am ER-PR- (0% for both)

    I was able to choose my tx between lumpectomy and radiation or mastectomy.

    That being said,..Since I've had several moles removed that were pre-cancer on my chest (and nose!), my DCIS was upper quadrant near the middle and chest wall, and I am in my late 40's, I wanted to avoid radiation. Also my DCIS was ER-/Pr- at 0% for both so I wouldn't get the benefit of Tamoxifen. My dr's agreed on mastectomy. I did double due to family history plus I wanted my breasts to match.

    Sorry you are dealing with this but glad you found this board.


    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Sekerim
    Sekerim Member Posts: 19
    edited January 2018

    I received the same recommendation pending lumpectomy and subsequent pathology. My surgeon did say we would continue to discuss treatment as we have more information but given the size of the area, the grading of the cells from the biopsy and my age he is saying this is my likely course of action. I am also waiting for genetic screening results to inform our next steps. It's my understanding that this is often the standard course of treatment for high grade DCIS.

    Noticed that we were diagnosed around the same time and that we have the same surgery date. Thinking of you as we go through this together.

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Moderators
    Moderators Member Posts: 25,912
    edited January 2018

    Welcome, Sekerim! We're all with you on this journey!

    The Mods

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • kaywrite
    kaywrite Member Posts: 219
    edited January 2018

    Hi Kellyoc519 (and all) - your diagnosis sounds similar to mine: DCIS, Stage 0, Grade 1, high ER+/PR+, with lumpectomy, radiation, and hormonal therapy most likely. This was based on my stereotactic biopsy and my surgeons pre-op observations. I had my lumpectomy on 1/23, and will return for post-op appointment and pathology results on Friday, after which an entirely different set of decisions will need to be made. Meanwhile, just a note to say that my lumpectomy was a breeze compared to the biopsy. This was due, in part, to the location of the DCIS: upper outer quadrant of the left breast, near the surface. The surgeon's incision traced the upper curve of the areola, which was then glued back together, no bandages. I'm surprised to see such little difference - this may be due to the size of the DCIS, which was 2.9 mm. Anyway, for those with similar statistics, some perspective.

    Wishing you all as pleasant a surgery as is possible, considering why we are all here. I've said so many times in the last month that DCIS Stage 0 is the best bad news one can get where this diagnosis is concerned. Still, the word cancer rocks to the core. I feel much better in the company of ladies who understand. I hope you do, too.

    (edited to reflect correct info on DCIS grade.)

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Annette47
    Annette47 Member Posts: 957
    edited January 2018

    For what it’s worth, that’s the same treatment plan I had and I am now pretty much through all of it - just need to finish out the last Tamoxifen refill and I am done. It really wasn’t that bad, to be honest, and the anxiety of scans, etc, does lessen. I went back to yearly mammograms after 2 years (never had MRI’s) so while it seems onerous in the short term, it really doesn’t last that long.

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Paco
    Paco Member Posts: 208
    edited February 2018

    Annette47

    Thanks for your end of treatment perspective! So good to hear from women who've been there, done that, and lived to tell us about it!

    kaywrite

    It sounds like your post-op appointment was today - I hope it went as smoothly as your surgery and you have a treatment plan laid out and decisions made. I'm thrilled for you that they downgraded your DCIS to grade 1. That must be a relief! Keep us posted on the rest of your treatment!

    Sekerim

    Best of luck to you on 2/13 for your lumpectomy. We'll get through this! I'll post again as it gets closer to L-day!


    Edited to include thanks to ps0705 and tlfrank. it is a comfort to know that I'm not alone along this journey.

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Categories