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jessie123
jessie123 Member Posts: 532
edited January 2019 in Just Diagnosed

I've been posting here since November. Was diagnosed with a 1.3 cm lobular cancer at 2:00 on my left breast. I was the one afraid to have the MRI -- but finally had it. Was planning to have lumpectomy. Things seem to have changed a bit after the MRI. Now the tumor is 1.5 cm by 2.5 cm and there is a long line going up from the tumor that is 7.5 cm long and my oncologist says it is DCIS. 7.5 cm seems long. Since it's DCIS is that going to change my cancer stage or prognosis. He said if I were a family member of his he would advise a mastectomy rather than lumpectomy which I will do. He is worried about clear margins. When people mention the size of their tumors they always 1cm, 3cm etc --- not 1.5 by 2.5 --- mine is rectangular. So what size do I say my tumor is? Mine is also the one that the first hospital said was lobular and the second hospital said was mammary with lobular features. The oncologist says I have IDC. I think part of the DCIS broke out where the tumor is and it is a mixed tumor of IDC with lobular features. Things keep changing for me.

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  • Meow13
    Meow13 Member Posts: 4,859
    edited January 2019

    My pathology took the largest measurement. Your invasive tumor's largest dimension is 2.5 cm. DCIS is typically larger it is contained in the duct. There are new guidelines but the old guidelines would have you stage 2A I believe with no nodes.

    Anything less than stage 4 is considered early. I have a good friend who was stage 3C with many many nodes loaded with cancer is still cancer free over 20 years.

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  • Georgia1
    Georgia1 Member Posts: 1,321
    edited January 2019

    Hi Jessie and I'm so sorry things keep changing for you. Doctors shorthand size by using the largest dimension so your mass would be 2.5. That's not very big and as Meow says you are likely low stage and grade. But ask your doctor about that. Also know that tumors show up larger on MRI often than they really are.

    Lots of us had DCIS, LCIS, ALH etc thrown in as well. If you are strongly ER+, and still prefer a lumpectomy, then get a second opinion and ask a lot of questions about how radiation and Tamoxifen will help. But masectomy could well be the best choice.

    Let us know how we can help and I also recommend the short book "Navigating Breast Cancer" written by a nurse. You can get it on Amazon.

    Sending you all good wishes.

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  • jessie123
    jessie123 Member Posts: 532
    edited January 2019

    Thanks Meow and Georgia --- I really can't get a second opinion because I'm already at my second opinion cancer center. There is only one other large hospital here. I had the mammogram and ultrasound --- you would think the DCIS would have been seen then. My lord, I don't see how people even get diagnosed with cancer through routine screening. My doctors don't seem to care what cancer it is --- guess because the treatment is basically the same. And won't they get much better information after they remove the tissue from my breast? Do you know how long you have to be under anesthesia to take one breast off --- the anesthesia is my biggest fear. I don't see how people with small children do this -- the fear of leaving children behind has to be horrific --- I'm feeling that way about my two dogs and they are just dogs. I feel this will all be over in a month since I have the last visit with my surgeon in 2 weeks. I'm ready to get on with my life. This all started Nov 2nd - I have no family, but I have a lot of supportive friends. However, I wish I had my real smart parent or husband to help with these decisions. It's a lonely journey.



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  • momand2kids
    momand2kids Member Posts: 1,508
    edited January 2019

    Hi there-

    While I did not have a mastecomy I did have a 2.5 cm ILC tumor--which was 1.cm on MRI-so things changed- and that could happen-it is sometimes smaller or larger after surgery than in the testing. the truth is, as my oncologist told me, pathology is everything. You have some info now, but post-surgery, you really will have so much more about the receptors, size, margins, etc. I think the early info is generally very good, but the pathology trumps everything... best of luck


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  • edwards750
    edwards750 Member Posts: 3,761
    edited January 2019

    It sure does momandkids. I had a lumpectomy and my BS didn’t think there was any lymph node involvement but the Path report showed a micromet in my SN. He said they had to dissect and re-dissect to find it but it was there just the same. My MO ordered the Oncotype test and I scored an 11 which allowed me to dodge chemo.

    Diane

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  • Meow13
    Meow13 Member Posts: 4,859
    edited January 2019

    My mastectomy was 4 to 5 hours under the DIEP was alittle over 10 hours.

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