HER2 Support Group Forums - View Single Post - how many started out with DCIS with or without microinvasion

VaMoonRise · 05-08-2006, 06:02 PM

Hi Lani,

I am so glad that you brought this subject up. This subject has plagued me night and day, as you read further into my post you will understand why.

I was first diagnosed with DCIS in March of 2004 at the age of 36 through a mammogram, pre-menopausal. Mammogram showed microcalcifications in left breast. I had a stereotactic biopsy which showed DCIS solid comedo type, the malginant cells lining the ducts are a variable nuclear grade II - III, no invasion identified, left breast, superficial, are nineteen 0.2 cm in diameter light tan tissue cores with the lengths ranging from 0.2 to 2.2 cm, left breast, deep, are fifteen 0.3 cm in diameter light tan tissue cores with the lengths ranging from 0.3 to 1.6 cm.

Surgical Pathology Report

Estrogen Receptor - Positive (Positive > 5% nuclear staining)
Progesterone Receptor - Positive (Positive > 5% nuclear staining)
HER-2/neu - Positive for gene amplification (FISH)

Synoptic Report:

Specimen type - Lumpectomy
Tumor Site - Left Breast
Tumor Type - Ductal Carcinoma In Situ
Nuclear Grade - III
Pattern - Solid, cribriform and micropapillary with focal central necrosis.
Margin - negative for malignancy.
Distance of Tumor to nearest Margin - Less than 1 mm.

Comment:

Ductal carcinoma in situ is present in approximately 30% of the tissue sections. It is seen in the region of the biopsy cavity and several centimeters away from it.

I underwent a lumpectomy and had radiation everyday for 8 weeks. I thought I was lucky to have caught it so early and thought that I was now in the clear. Unfortunately in December 2006 I came down with a gall bladder attack and when they went in to surgically remove it they found cancer spread extensively throughout my liver. I also have two spots on my spine. I am currently in a clinical trial consisting of Herceptin, Taxol and Lapatinib. I also receive Zometa once a month. I still have a difficult time understanding how I went from being DCIS stage "0" to now being stage "4" in such a short time. I can't help but play the "What If Game." What if they had removed lymph nodes, what if they had done a mastectomy, what if they had put me on Tamoxifen or Herceptin? I can't help but wonder if my outcome would still be the same.

I read this interesting article after the fact, too bad I hadn't read it sooner. I hope all women read it.

http://www.annalssurgicaloncology.or...t/full/8/8/617

I hope more research is done about DCIS and the way it is currently treated so that no other woman ever has to go through what I have been through.

Please keep me posted as to any further info or questions that arise from this topic, and thank you so much for bringing the topic back up again.

Sincerely,
Nicola

05-08-2006, 06:02 PM	#2
VaMoonRise Deceased Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Virginia Posts: 113	Dcis Hi Lani, I am so glad that you brought this subject up. This subject has plagued me night and day, as you read further into my post you will understand why. I was first diagnosed with DCIS in March of 2004 at the age of 36 through a mammogram, pre-menopausal. Mammogram showed microcalcifications in left breast. I had a stereotactic biopsy which showed DCIS solid comedo type, the malginant cells lining the ducts are a variable nuclear grade II - III, no invasion identified, left breast, superficial, are nineteen 0.2 cm in diameter light tan tissue cores with the lengths ranging from 0.2 to 2.2 cm, left breast, deep, are fifteen 0.3 cm in diameter light tan tissue cores with the lengths ranging from 0.3 to 1.6 cm. Surgical Pathology Report Estrogen Receptor - Positive (Positive > 5% nuclear staining) Progesterone Receptor - Positive (Positive > 5% nuclear staining) HER-2/neu - Positive for gene amplification (FISH) Synoptic Report: Specimen type - Lumpectomy Tumor Site - Left Breast Tumor Type - Ductal Carcinoma In Situ Nuclear Grade - III Pattern - Solid, cribriform and micropapillary with focal central necrosis. Margin - negative for malignancy. Distance of Tumor to nearest Margin - Less than 1 mm. Comment: Ductal carcinoma in situ is present in approximately 30% of the tissue sections. It is seen in the region of the biopsy cavity and several centimeters away from it. I underwent a lumpectomy and had radiation everyday for 8 weeks. I thought I was lucky to have caught it so early and thought that I was now in the clear. Unfortunately in December 2006 I came down with a gall bladder attack and when they went in to surgically remove it they found cancer spread extensively throughout my liver. I also have two spots on my spine. I am currently in a clinical trial consisting of Herceptin, Taxol and Lapatinib. I also receive Zometa once a month. I still have a difficult time understanding how I went from being DCIS stage "0" to now being stage "4" in such a short time. I can't help but play the "What If Game." What if they had removed lymph nodes, what if they had done a mastectomy, what if they had put me on Tamoxifen or Herceptin? I can't help but wonder if my outcome would still be the same. I read this interesting article after the fact, too bad I hadn't read it sooner. I hope all women read it. http://www.annalssurgicaloncology.or...t/full/8/8/617 I hope more research is done about DCIS and the way it is currently treated so that no other woman ever has to go through what I have been through. Please keep me posted as to any further info or questions that arise from this topic, and thank you so much for bringing the topic back up again. Sincerely, Nicola