Hello to anyone. Eight days ago I was told I had DCIS and that I would need a mastectomy. Despite my notes haveing been faxed to my local hospital and several fruitless phone calls I still have to hear anything about future treatment. I JUST FEEL BAD.
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Go to your GP and get them to chase it up. That’s what I had to do.
Hi, I had dcis 5 years ago and I just had the mastectomy with no further treatment as the feeling is, if you dont have invasive cancer then mastectomy “cures” dcis. This means that your cancer hasnt invaded the tissue in your breast, is contained and the removal of the breast solves the problem. Hope this helps.
Hi daffodil3969
It is nice to hear from someone who has had mx and no further treatment for DCIS. Have you done much research on DCIS? I still find it hard to take on board that I also am having no further treatment for DCIS. I would like to hear what your surgeon told you about no further treatment?
Hi Suzie
I posted this answer to your query on the “Treatment to stop recurrence of DCIS” thread:
maude says on Sun Sep 18, 2011 2:30 pm
Hi Suzie
I didn’t have to have radiotherapy (I did have a small tumour developing but the surgeon said it was far away from my chest wall and he managed to remove it successfully) He said my cancer was oestrogen receptive so I had a slightly more chance than average of developing cancer in the other breast so he gave me Tamoxifen. I had very bad side effects with the Tamoxifen so he told me to stop taking it, he said the side effects weren’t worth it for the benefit I was getting.
I go for annual check ups at the moment. I have a “manual” check around the mx scar and on my other breast then I have a mammogram. I think I will go back into the screening system eventually but I am not sure whether that is 5 years post diagnosis or 10 years. (I might ask that at my next check up which is coming up soon)
I hope that helps.
Love
Maude xx
ps I didn’t have any cancer in my lymph nodes.
Hi Suzie, yes I read arond the subject extensively!!! I am very much a knowledge is power person. I think my treatment, that is full mastectomy rather than breast conserving surgery ie lumpectomy means that since the “cancer” is present only in the ducts and hasnt invaded the tissue of the breast then once the whole breast is gone thats it. I think if you opt for lumpectomy then you often have radiotherapy to the tumour site.
Mine was high grade dcis with tumour length totalling 8cm!(I had big boobs) unfortunately I now have invasive cancer on the other side and having the whole lot of treatment this time round, mx,chemo rads but thats a different story and I hanker after the days I had DCIS!!!
Hi daffoidil
Sorry to hear your BC is back. Were you offered tamoxifen after your mx as a prevention to help stop it occuring in your other breast? I would be interested what your surgeon thought your chance of getting bc in the other breast was.
No not offered tamoxifen and he said chances were slim, that I would be really unlucky and statistically was in the same boat as everyone else. Wish I had have pushed harder for second mx at the time but hindsight is a wonderful thing!This time round its a totally different cancer.