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VDC · 11-15-2016, 11:48 AM

The thing is, DCIS is NOT considered invasive. That means it lacks the ability to spread beyond the ducts or lobules. However, 25% of DCIS (and particularly high grade including HER2+) is found to be invasive at the time of surgery. IF the DCIS is found to have invasion or micro invasion then herceptin is used as treatment and chemo as well. But as long as the DCIS is found to ONLY be DCIS, then neither chemo or hercpetin is allowed.

The interesting thing is that sentinel lymph nodes are NOT usually removed with DCIS for the same reason. If it isn't invasive then there should be no way for the cancer to spread....in theory at least. There was a research study that DID take a sentinel lymph node with DCIS and it found that 2% of DCIS cases DID have micromets in the sentinel lymph node. ALL of the 2% with micromets had biopsies prior to the dissection. It was unknown if the biopsies had allowed the pure DCIS to spread beyond the ducts or what other reason there might be for the few cancer cells in the lymph nodes.

11-15-2016, 11:48 AM	#8
VDC Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2016 Posts: 122	Re: DCIS & her2+? The thing is, DCIS is NOT considered invasive. That means it lacks the ability to spread beyond the ducts or lobules. However, 25% of DCIS (and particularly high grade including HER2+) is found to be invasive at the time of surgery. IF the DCIS is found to have invasion or micro invasion then herceptin is used as treatment and chemo as well. But as long as the DCIS is found to ONLY be DCIS, then neither chemo or hercpetin is allowed. The interesting thing is that sentinel lymph nodes are NOT usually removed with DCIS for the same reason. If it isn't invasive then there should be no way for the cancer to spread....in theory at least. There was a research study that DID take a sentinel lymph node with DCIS and it found that 2% of DCIS cases DID have micromets in the sentinel lymph node. ALL of the 2% with micromets had biopsies prior to the dissection. It was unknown if the biopsies had allowed the pure DCIS to spread beyond the ducts or what other reason there might be for the few cancer cells in the lymph nodes.