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VDC · 02-09-2016, 08:12 PM

Ahhh, the plot thickens! My oncologist informed me that the calcification that were present in August, September, October, and November have all but disappeared. I asked what that meant, and she didn't know. I asked for another biopsy since we don't know what is going on in there and she refused. I then requested an MRI of BOTH breasts since the last two lesions were not found by mammography but instead by the ultrasound. I WAS granted the MRI and it should take place either tomorrow or Thursday. My research seems to indicate that in the case of HIGH grade DCIS MRI is 84% accurate in estimating the extent of DCIS. That sounds like good correlation to me. ...and since my DCIS is high grade I am hopeful that it will indicate what is going on in that breast that has the "disappearing calcifications."

The ultrasoundist (is that a word?) who performed the ultrasound guided biopsies thought that my two "areas of concern" looked benign but we won't really know until pathology comes back. From the ultrasound it looked like all lymph nodes were clear.

SO, where does that leave me? What if the two latest biopsies come back as benign and the MRI doesn't 'see' any DCIS? THEN what do I do? I've had two stereotactic biopsies that clearly indicated ER-, PR- HER2 positive DCIS, but how will that surgeon know what to remove if there aren't any calcifications and the MRI doesn't show the extent of DCIS?

...and in the back of my mind is the realization that no one really knows what happens in DCIS. There has never been a "watch and see" trial to see which DCIS go invasive and which don't. Nor have there been studies to see if DCIS ever goes away on its own. While it seems highly unlikely, it does make the mind wonder.

I know, I know....wait until all the results come back. But I can't help my mind wandering down every path.

I am relieved that what I expected seems not to be true. The intense pain and under arm pain as well as the thickening I had felt in my breast seem to be as a result of the two biopsies from October and November. I had expected fairly advanced invasive cancer. I am thankful for what seems to be. (I'm still holding my breath) but those questions keep running round and round my head!

02-09-2016, 08:12 PM	#17
VDC Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2016 Posts: 122	Re: I think I'm in trouble! Ahhh, the plot thickens! My oncologist informed me that the calcification that were present in August, September, October, and November have all but disappeared. I asked what that meant, and she didn't know. I asked for another biopsy since we don't know what is going on in there and she refused. I then requested an MRI of BOTH breasts since the last two lesions were not found by mammography but instead by the ultrasound. I WAS granted the MRI and it should take place either tomorrow or Thursday. My research seems to indicate that in the case of HIGH grade DCIS MRI is 84% accurate in estimating the extent of DCIS. That sounds like good correlation to me. ...and since my DCIS is high grade I am hopeful that it will indicate what is going on in that breast that has the "disappearing calcifications." The ultrasoundist (is that a word?) who performed the ultrasound guided biopsies thought that my two "areas of concern" looked benign but we won't really know until pathology comes back. From the ultrasound it looked like all lymph nodes were clear. SO, where does that leave me? What if the two latest biopsies come back as benign and the MRI doesn't 'see' any DCIS? THEN what do I do? I've had two stereotactic biopsies that clearly indicated ER-, PR- HER2 positive DCIS, but how will that surgeon know what to remove if there aren't any calcifications and the MRI doesn't show the extent of DCIS? ...and in the back of my mind is the realization that no one really knows what happens in DCIS. There has never been a "watch and see" trial to see which DCIS go invasive and which don't. Nor have there been studies to see if DCIS ever goes away on its own. While it seems highly unlikely, it does make the mind wonder. I know, I know....wait until all the results come back. But I can't help my mind wandering down every path. I am relieved that what I expected seems not to be true. The intense pain and under arm pain as well as the thickening I had felt in my breast seem to be as a result of the two biopsies from October and November. I had expected fairly advanced invasive cancer. I am thankful for what seems to be. (I'm still holding my breath) but those questions keep running round and round my head!