Hi everyone. I was diagnosed last week with DCIS in my left breast, near my armpit, and have to have the area removed and 4 weeks of radiotherapy. I am a bit more shocked at the radiotherapy than the surgery. I feel a bit of a fraud because I know folk that have had breast cancer, and all the treatment that goes with it. I was told this so precancerous, but also read in the leaflet the centre gave me its early grade cancer. So, do I have cancer or not??? A question for my surgeon when I see him in a couple weeks.
I see other folk have also had mastectomies with it. It’s so scary, considering it’s unclear as to what it actually is in terms of pre or graded cancer.
It is very scary and the treatment is very similar to invasive breast cancer so it’s still pretty tough to deal with.If not treated it’s quite possible DCIS would develop into invasive breast cancer - many of us have both found during surgery .I think technically it’s not cancer as it hasn’t yet developed the ability to spread but that doesn’t diminish how it feels .I had pre- invasive womb cancer and the treatment was pretty brutal and I was very shaken by it - the Consultant kept diminishing it saying you haven’t had cancer - well it felt pretty scary and I had a full hysterectomy so didn’t feel that " fluffy" really .
I was diagnosed with DCIS, Stage 0 and had a lumpectomy on my left breast in October. Once they entered the breast, found 1 cm of actual cancer which was removed. While the breast was opened, I received radiation which is called the IORT procedure where the radiation is administered once (high dosage) and I will not need any more radiation (the margins came back negative). I have to take Letrozole for about 5 years. I am having problems with this medication. I am also having pain in my breast but was told that it would happen during the healing process. Did your doctor discuss the IORT procedure?