Hi, I was diagnosed with DCIS and I am due to have my results tomorrow from my lumpectomy last Friday I also had some lymph nodes removed.
I was wondering if anyone had been through something similar and any questions I could ask my surgeon as my mind feels blank.
Thanks in advance x
Hi Suzyfurbie
I am not quite in your situation as I had a mastectomy for my DCIS as it was large but these are some of the questions I would be making sure I got answers to.
Were all the margins clear? There should be at least 2mm of clean DCIS-free tissue on all sides of your lumpectomy.
Confirmation of the grade of DCIS. You will probably already know from your biopsy but it is always good to have confirmation from a larger sample.
Was anything found in your lymph nodes.
Lumpectomy for DCIS usually means radiotherapy afterwards (low grade DCIS and older age may in some cases get you out of it). So you may want to ask how many doses of radiotherapy and make arrangements for getting started with that.
Depending on your breast size and how much was taken away during the lumpectomy, you may want to discuss any asymmetry issues and how they may be corrected when everything has settled down. It’s early days still.
Fnally, they will probably check on how you are healing post-op.
I hope your appointment goes well today. Fingers crossed for you and some good results. I am a year out from my diagnosis, my treatment has only been surgical and I am cracking on with life only popping onto this forum very occasionally. You will get there too. ?.
Ezzie. X
Hi Ezzie.
Thank-you for your reply. I am 31 so think I would possibly have radiotherapy. My biopsy results were clear for my lymph nodes but they took some to check just to make sure.
I’m praying I won’t need hormone therapy as I only got married in April and was just about to start for children on our honeymoon which unfortunately we have had to postpone (I know if I need to then I just have to but feels so rubbish at the moment).
Thank-you for your help with some questions, I have jotted them down.
I’m so happy for you that you didn’t need any additional treatment?
Suzy
Sorry for delay in my reply Ezzie. All margins were clear and lymph nodes were also clear. Starting radiotherapy at the end of this month for 3 weeks and started tamoxifen 2 days ago. Feeling very anxious about side effects but trying not to think about it.
Hope you are keeping well 