Waiting for pathology after mastectomy

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ijl
ijl Member Posts: 897
edited May 2020 in Diagnosed and Waiting for Test Results

I had a lumpectomy a month ago for my IDC tumor and they also found DCIS so the margins were not clean.

They did sentinel node dissection that came back negative

I decided to go ahead with mastectomy and TE and had my surgery few days back.

I spoke with the oncologist and at the moment my Onctotype test does indicate chemo just Arimidex.

But now all of the sudden I worry that they can find something else there that was missed by 3D mammogram and breast MRI.

And then I would have to do chemo.

Have anyone had it happened to them . My post-op appointment is on Tuesday ,so I have a few days to worry.

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  • BCat40
    BCat40 Member Posts: 241
    edited May 2020

    it seems pretty unlikely because they’d have to find another invasive tumor and that tumor would have to be fairly aggressive for chemo to be recommended. Not sure I’ve ever heard of chemo just for DCIS

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  • Beesie
    Beesie Member Posts: 12,240
    edited May 2020

    Chemo is never given for DCIS. Chemo is a systemic treatment, and DCIS is a localized condition.

    ijl, I agree with BCat40. Since you had both a 3D mammo and an MRI, and since the entirety of your known invasive cancer has been removed, it would pretty shocking for a significant new invasive cancer to show up out of nowhere. To change your treatment plan so that chemo would be recommended, this new invasive cancer would have to be large and/or aggressive, different biologically from the already removed invasive cancer that received the Oncotype score that indicated no need for chemo.

    Could there be more DCIS, or even some tiny invasions mixed in with the DCIS? That's possible, but it wouldn't change your diagnosis, staging or treatment plan. Anything more than that... not impossible but extremely unlikely.

    Hope you get only good news on Tuesday. Let us know.

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  • ijl
    ijl Member Posts: 897
    edited May 2020

    Bessie and bcat40

    Thank you for encouraging replies.

    12 years ago I had mastectomy because the lumpectomy did not obtain clear margins due to DCIS being more extensive than was seen on mammo and MRI. After the mastectomy they also found 2mm microinvasion.

    Now I was diagnosed with IDC and was contemplating getting a lumpectomy with 5 days radiation. Alas once DCIS showed up this was out of question. Hence I had another mastectomy. And of all sudden I started worrying that there is another IDC tumor and then having multi focal one would lead to chemo.

    I know probability is in my favor but I am a bit nervous . Well I will have to wait till Tuesday to find out for sure.

    Meanwhile I find your replies very reassuring.


    Thanks,


    Inna

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  • ijl
    ijl Member Posts: 897
    edited May 2020

    just came back from post-op and the pathology report is clean!

    Thank you for your suppor

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  • Beesie
    Beesie Member Posts: 12,240
    edited May 2020

    Yay!! Congrats!

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  • fightingbreastc8
    fightingbreastc8 Member Posts: 1
    edited May 2020

    Hello! - first post but wanted some advice/guidance. My mom had her final chemo scans for stage 3 breast cancer last Friday. How soon should she hear back from the doctor/meet with her to get results? Anxious and would love to know what a normal response time is. Thanks!

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  • Moderators
    Moderators Member Posts: 25,912
    edited May 2020

    Hi fightingbreastc8! We're sorry you have to be here for your mom's diagnosis, but glad that you reached out to our members. Hope you get responses soon. In the mean time, we encourage you to check out our For Caregivers, Family, Friends and Supporters forum where other family members of persons having breast cancer diagnosis can talk, vent and support one another.

    Hope this helps! If you have any question for us, please get in touch. We know is hard, but you're not alone!

    The Mods

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