[sarah]

HER2+ and DCIS is a dangerous combo and should be treated aggressively. I started with DCIS. I went to a top female oncologist at City of Hope (now well respected!!!) who said I didn't need Herceptin!!! and mastectomy was the only needed treatment and that she felt was "aggressive" treatment!. 4+ years later, I had invasive cancer and was in serious trouble so yes, DCIS should be considered cancer and should be treated aggressively. Don't risk your life. I kept asking about Herceptin and was constantly shot down, that was in 1999, thank goodness today Herceptin is given always. In my mind not calling DCIS cancer is stupid and dangerous. We may need sub names for the different cancers to help better define treatment but if it can become a fully aggressive cancer as mine did, it is cancer. Let's be serious and careful. I do not want any HER2 people to have to go through what I've gone through when a solution would have been so easy. I am lucky to still be here given that my doctors back then were so unknowledgeable and unwilling to go that extra mile for me. I knew back then that I needed Herceptin to be safe but everyone told me that I didn't and refused to give it to me.
Sarah