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Becky · 01-23-2008, 01:53 PM

After getting wide clean margins, I believe slides must be scrutinized by several large cancer centers (like Sloan, Johns Hopkins, MD Anderson or the like) to absolutely ensure there is no invasive component. I am not sure that any DCIS that can be palpated or is high grade is truly DCIS - period. What do the clean margins look like too - lots of atypical hyperplasia? The pathology report can tell you this. This is not cancer and is truly precancer but has a good - no great, chance of becoming DCIS/IDC. So you cut out the DCIS but the precancer is left behind to change to DCIS - if high grade, this will happen especially if there are no lifestyle interventions (I believe that your fate can be changed if you change - maybe not a 100% assurity but it can happen - it does with clogging arteries and this is "clogging" ducts). So, high grade Her2+ bc should be treated with radiation and I think Herceptin too. The trial Lani describes is great. As with cancer, DCIS are different diseases too. For example, less than 2 cm tumors that are only ER/PR+, low to intermediate grade in older women only get an AI (and they think this is the case if 1-3 nodes + in the future too), but that could never be if you are Her2+ cancer so.........

High grade is different and high grade might be invasive without anyone knowing.

01-23-2008, 01:53 PM	#5
Becky Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Stockton, NJ Posts: 4,179	After getting wide clean margins, I believe slides must be scrutinized by several large cancer centers (like Sloan, Johns Hopkins, MD Anderson or the like) to absolutely ensure there is no invasive component. I am not sure that any DCIS that can be palpated or is high grade is truly DCIS - period. What do the clean margins look like too - lots of atypical hyperplasia? The pathology report can tell you this. This is not cancer and is truly precancer but has a good - no great, chance of becoming DCIS/IDC. So you cut out the DCIS but the precancer is left behind to change to DCIS - if high grade, this will happen especially if there are no lifestyle interventions (I believe that your fate can be changed if you change - maybe not a 100% assurity but it can happen - it does with clogging arteries and this is "clogging" ducts). So, high grade Her2+ bc should be treated with radiation and I think Herceptin too. The trial Lani describes is great. As with cancer, DCIS are different diseases too. For example, less than 2 cm tumors that are only ER/PR+, low to intermediate grade in older women only get an AI (and they think this is the case if 1-3 nodes + in the future too), but that could never be if you are Her2+ cancer so......... High grade is different and high grade might be invasive without anyone knowing. __________________ Kind regards Becky Found lump via BSE Diagnosed 8/04 at age 45 1.9cm tumor, ER+PR-, Her2 3+(rt side) 2 micromets to sentinel node Stage 2A left 3mm DCIS - low grade ER+PR+Her2 neg lumpectomies 9/7/04 4DD AC followed by 4 DD taxol Used Leukine instead of Neulasta 35 rads on right side only 4/05 started Tamoxifen Started Herceptin 4 months after last Taxol due to trial results and 2005 ASCO meeting & recommendations Oophorectomy 8/05 Started Arimidex 9/05 Finished Herceptin (16 months) 9/06 Arimidex Only Prolia every 6 months for osteopenia NED 18 years! Said Christopher Robin to Pooh: "You must remember this: You're braver than you believe and stronger than you seem and smarter than you think"