I am new to this board but reading all the threads have helped me greatly.
I was diagnosed with DCIS several months ago, had WLE last month and didn’t get any clear margins - it was found to be extensive so am booked in for mastectomy and implant on 29th of this month. I am having SNB at the same time.
I am getting myself a bit worked up about the result of the SNB - they will biopsy it whilst I am having the mastectomy and if needed will, I understand, take further nodes out if needed. Am guessing I will know if they have done this if when I wake I will have a drain in my armpit.
Just wondering if anyone else with DCIS can share their experience and how many found that it had spread into the lymph nodes.
Hi Linda,
I had my SNB prior to mastectomy so knew going in to surgery that I was have lymph clearance too. I know some places, the Marsden for example, can do the node analysis while you are in theatre but I believe most hospitals don’t do if it came back positive might require further surgery. Probably checking out the details in your hospital so you know what to expect. All you can do is take each step as it comes.
Wishing you the best of luck.
I had similar thing, 3 years ago now. I had several suspicious patches in left breast, they did two biopsies and when the second also showed DCIS, I had to have mastectomy. I had implant recon and SNB at the same time. Like you, I was told they would remove and check the sentinel nodes during the op and proceed straight to further clearance if needed. My surgeon said doing a further clearance would mean having a second drain. The theatre staff were lovely and told me the nodes were “clear” as soon as I came round - I remember asking “how many drains have I got” just to make sure! They look at the tissue again after the op and I had more detailed results from my consultant about two weeks later, and it confirmed no need for anything else. I hope you get the same result. The waiting is the worst part I think. Very best wishes, Mo x