Hello people,
So here I have graduated from “waiting for results” to “newly diagnosed”!
My path report indicates " DCIS with papillary architecture and a 0.1cm focus suspicious for invasion"
I get that DCIS is relatively good news! but the remainder of the sentence has me foxed, and also worried.
Can anybody explain to me the implications of the report? I am just waiting for the breast cancer clinic to call me with an appointment to see a surgeon. Feeling somewhat nauseous…
M.
Hi Morwenna
I thought you may be interested to read our factsheet on understanding your test results whilst you’re waiting for others to respond so I’ve given the link to the page where it can be downloaded or ordered:
I hope you find this useful.
Kind regards
Louise, Facilitator
Hi Morwenna
Haven’t got an answer but just wanted to say that I’m sorry you have found yourself here. Fingers crossed you get some answers really soon.
Take care
Viv xxxxx
Thanks for taking time to reply Viv!
It was kind of you. I get the impression that the dcis board is not so “well-attended”
I find myself wondering if this is because “it’s not really cancer, just precancerous cells”
Never-the-less, it is something that will likely necessitate surgety, possibly mastectomy and +/- radiotherapy.
… it is still pretty daunting, even if not life-threatening!
Hi Morwenna
I had a mx with immediate reconstruction in May after being diagnosed with DCIS with another suspicious area found on the MRI. The other suspicious area just meant I went from WLE (lumpectomy) to mx - which actually I preferred as it meant I could relax as far as that breast was concerned - it had not spread to the lymph nodes so no further treatment was required.
It is a worrying time but try not to allow it to upset you too much - I have no idea what the rest of your histology means - have you rung the helpline to ask them?
Presumably you will need a Sentinel Node Biopsy before your mx to determine whether there is spread beyond the breast.
So sorry I have not replied before but I am currently between houses (moving back to our house in SE London from Buckinghamshire where my partner’s late father lived) so things are a bit chaotic and I don’t always have access to the internet!
Once you have a treatment plan lined up and you know what is happening and when you will feel much better.
Good luck
Best wishes
Liz x
Hi I was diagnosed with DCIS last week I had my MRI yesterday and I am meeting with my surgeon tonight who will give me an update on the extent of the DCIS. I am very scared that the MRI will show it to be worse than was picked up on the mammogram. I have opted for tissue conserving breast surgery using pigs collagen and an implant. Does anybody have any knowledge on this and also I have been reading about the need for radiotherapy post operation but it seems to be depending on the individuals case. Another thing is it true that this is a cuarable cancer? Thanks for any reply x
Hi Heather225
Welcome to the Breast Cancer Care discussion forums, where I’m sure you’ll get lots of good, honest support from the many informed users of this site.
To help you along I have put for you below links to some of BCC’s publications you might find helpful. Also, if you want to talk to someone in confidence away from family and friends then our helpline team are only a free phone call away, 0808 800 6000, open Mon-Fri 9-5 and Sat 10-2
DCIS: www2.breastcancercare.org.uk/publications/diagnosed-breast-cancer/ductal-carcinoma-situ-dcis-bcc39
Resource pack: www2.breastcancercare.org.uk/publications/diagnosed-breast-cancer/resource-pack-primary-early-breast-cancer-bcc145
Take care,
Jo, Facilitator
Hi Heather
Sorry you have had to join us!
I was diagnosed with DCIS in March this year and yes it is precancerous in that it is non-invasive. As you will see from reading the information on the link from Jo there are 3 grades Low (which is seldom found as it is VERY early stages, Intermediate and High. I had high grade and because it had not spread from the breast to the lymph nodes I did not need chemo or rads after my mx - if I had just had a WLE (lumpectomy) as initially recommended I would have had to have rads as well. However we are all different and decisions are generally made on a case by case basis. Factors such as family history, age, general health etc are taken into account - I expect you will have an MRI as the next step to see whether there is any further occurences in the breast and probably a Sentinel Node Biopsy to check for spread to the lymph nodes before the recommendation as to what surgery you have is made.
Please try to look at this as a good result.
Keep in touch - let us know what the team recommends for you.
All the best
HUGS
Liz x
Hi everyone, I’m new to site and want to introduce myself. Following my first routine mammogram diagnosed with DCIS two weeks ago and was told very small and easy to remove. On day of my surgery for WLE & SNB last week I was informed a small part of DCIS had become invasive. They did not tell me this part till just before my surgery. I get results on 28th Nov. Has anyone else experienced this and what the outcome has been. I’ve been reading many threads on here and it has been very reassurring & comfortable to know there is support, especially early hours when I can’t sleep, love to you all
Hi lady in Red, I too have high grade multiple sites of DCIS and I am booked in to have the SLNB on Monday. I am terrified of the tracer injection and the pain as I have read too many horror American websites. I have opted to have a MX andreconstruction assuming the nodes are clear (I am keeping everything crossed). Good luck with your results do let me know how you get on. I too am new to this forum so I hope I don’tloose your thread. Do let me know about your experiences of the tracer injection prior to your SLNB.
Cyber hugs x
Hi everyone- been reading your posts about DCIS. I was diagnossed with high grade DCIS last January and following a WLE + SLNB was told they couldn’t get a clear margin and due to the extent of my DCIS I had to have a mx. However, we talked about reconstruction and I was told it was better to have this done at a later date. The reason for this is that the breast tisue is examined after mx and if there had been any evidence of DCIS near my chest wall I would have needed radiotheraapy.
When I was diagnosed my first thought was to go for reconstruction but now we are 10 months on I feel that I don’t want to go through surgery again nor do I want any further scarrring to my body so for me reconstruction is not an option.
Hi all had my SNB done yesterday. All went ok. Had to go 9:15 for dye injection. This was totally fine, I was worried as people said it hurt. I was no different than a normal injection just a little stinger for a few seconds. SNB was at 4:30 long wait as last on list. All went ok. Woke up very sleepy but quickly recovered. Back to ward and had a cup of tea. It is quite sore when you move. But no numbness in arm or shoulder pain as yet. I come home last night and slept well. So so far so good, started exercises too. they removed 3 lymth nodes, that lit up ( this is what doctor said) is that bad that lit up blue or is that what normally happens.??? now the 2 week wait for results. Just pray its clear and stay only DCIS.
Hi Hay, glad to know that all is going well, I follow in your footsteps on Monday, I too am terrified of the pain from the tracer needle pre op. hope mine is as pain free as yours. Did you have any anesthetic before this injection? Fingers crossed that your results are clear.
Hi Cheryl please don’t worry about tracer needle, they don’t numb it but it’s nothing. Just look away count to 3 and it over. I promise you, I’m such a worrier too but the days gone and you will be home tuck up in your bed. Just the wait for the results are horrible. it seems as if we have the same. High grade dcis. Im due to have mastectomy with reconstruction strattice mesh/implant. Are you haveing a mastectomy?? I wish you luck for Monday but you will be fiMeets anything else just ask xxx big hug xxx
Hi Hay123. So pleased to hear you are making good recovery. I will be having my SLN on Monday and told I should get the results by the end of the week. Like you I have DCIS but in two sites. 5 cm apart. One site is graded high and the other intermediate so the next step in MX (assuming that the nodes are clear…i so hope they are) Not sure what “option” I will go for yet, but do not fancy the flaps. With my two knee replacements it isimportant that I recover as quickly as possible as being immobile will not be great for the knees. so I thinkthe quickest recovery is implants, but I am meeting with the BCN next week so look at all the options. To be honest it as been all such a whirlwin, I am not in denial, just finding it very difficult to get my head around. Please keep me posted with your results news I am praying they are good for you, when do you get them? Will you get them by telephone or do you have to visit theconsultant. I want mine as soon as they are available, even if that is by phone. I got so frustratedwith the Protocol waiting for the core biopsy result “. We are not allowed to give them over the phone” big hugs we will get through this. Xxxxxxx
Hi Morwenna. How are you getting On? Have you had your appointment with the surgeon? Take care. Xxx
Hi Hay
Glad your SNB went ok - the blue lighting up is normal - what they want to know is where the lymph nodes are that are directly connected to your breast - you have a LOT of lymph nodes in that are of the body and they want to know which ones are connected to the affected breast so they inject dye that travels up the lymph system to the lymph nodes - they remove the ones that get dyed by the blue dye and then the lab will test them for cancerous cells. If they find cancerous cells in the lymph nodes it means that you probably have more than one affected area in your breast but please be aware that this is NOT the norm!
I had 4 lymph nodes removed and all were clear. This is the norm with DCIS. I still had an mx because there were other areas of suspicion and it was my breast specialists policy to remove the breast rather than do a WLE and then find you have to go back for an mx anyway!
Wish you luck with your results 
Cheryl
As Hay says the needle for the dye does not hurt.
Best of luck to you too
Liz x
Hi Cheryl17. I’m sorry but only read your post this morning. I hope your procedure goes well today and I wished I could have reassurred you that the dye injection is not painfull & is nothing more than an ordinary injection. Let me know how you got on and good luck Lady in Red
Hi, I’m sorry I didn’t come back to this thread to update, but things for me just escalated, and I moved onto other sections of the board.
I had my WLE on 23 Nov, at which time the BS took 4 sentinel nodes. She had got consent from me to proceed to axillary node dissection if any SN was found positive at time of surgery. She assured me it was most unlikely.
She came to me post-op and explained that cancer HAD in fact been found in the nodes, so she’d proceeded with axillary node dissection. She told me then that my treatment WOULD necessitate chemo, not just rads. The next week or two I was sent for ct and bone scans, and a chest xray.
I got my surgery results 11th Dec. Good news was all the scans were clear, and only one node of 11 was cancerous, a .25 cm tumour. BAD news was, at 8cm of resection, they did not get clear margins.
So now I have gone from being a grade 3, stage 0, to a stage 111a, triple negative. The only surgical option, given the size of the tumour is now stated as at least 8cm was a total mastectomy, and I was whisked back in for that the very next day, so my feet hardly touched the ground!
I met my oncologist last week and started my chemo 2 days ago. My treatment is 4x3-week cycles of AC, then 12 weekly cycles of Taxol, so 6 months chemo, then 5 weeks radiation. I am booked off work for min 8 months from now.
Today I feel sick and sad. Probably not the best time to post!
But I wanted to add, that I am repeatedly told that my case is unusual, so just my bad luck!! And I don’t mean to spread alarm and dispondency to the rest of you ladies!