~DCIS Question concerning CYSTS
 

Although I need to go to mom's next appointment so I may ask MY questions to this surgeon here is what I do know:

DCIS 4mm contained with cysts around nipple. She was too shy to ask this to you all so I did!!

WHAT ARE THESE CYSTS?? ARE THEY COMMON?? HAS ANYONE HAD THIS PROBLEM?? Like I said I will be getting to the bottom of this soon. I do not like this feeling of being in the dark.

Next step is a catscan. Why is this taking so long?? I know she is early stages but breast cancer is still breast cancer!! Uggh!!>>Believe51

I'm not a pathologist, I don't really know how to interpret that report. I like the word "contained" and cyst usually translates as something benign. But, you definitely have some good questions to ask! You are right, you will get to the bottom of it soon - but you also know how it never feels like it's happening fast enough. And although we always want answers and solutions like, yesterday, she does have time to get the facts so that she can make the appropriate treatment decisions.

Sounds like her doctor is being very thorough. What area is the CT scan?

I am not a doctor or pathologist but I think DCIS is considered a pre-cancer condition. However, you need to make sure that there is no invasive cancer involved. I think Becky recently posted that she had her DCIS checked by a couple of different pathologists to make sure she had no invasive cancer.

Hope this helps.

Karen

Dcis
 

has always been considered precancer or Stage O because the cancer cells are there but completely contained in the duct or, lobe, as in LCIS. Where much of the research lies is in trying to understand what portion of these will go on to become cancer, or, how much these things increase a women's overall risk of developing a full blown bc.

I had both in 1997. LCIS was treated with clean margin lumpectomy. DCIS was treated with lumpectomy and radiation. At the time, tamoxifen or similar for er+ was not considered. Now it is.

I was diagnosed with Invasive Ductal Carcinoma in 2004. Both breasts, with positive lymph nodes in one side only. Obviously, I am the worst possible outcome for DCIS/LCIS as for me, they turned out to be early markers for an invasive cancer to come. But again, NOT ALWAYS THE CASE.

Read as much as you can about DCIS and get as many opinions as you can. There's still a lot of disagreement out there about it.

Susan Love's Breast Book is always a good place to start.

Best to you,
Ginagce