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What's my next step?
After a mamogram I had a biopsy done in late Dec. 2010 that showed I had DCIS with microinvasion. I had an incomplete lumpectomy done in Jan. 2011, followed by another incomplete lumpectomy in Feb. 2011. So on April 1, 2011 I went through a bilateral mastectomy. My oncologist was sure it would by the cure for my breast cancer. The mastectomy was also incomplete. The margins were non-existant and the lab indicated a high grade tumer larger than 2cm., DCIS subtype was solid and micropapillary with comedo-type necrosis. The ER/PR studies were both negative. My oncologist believed no other therapy was needed after the bilateral mastectomy. She told me to seek the advise of a radiation oncologist for a second opinion. I saw a radiation oncologist who recommended 28 days of radition which I recently completed. I'm confused as why my stage is 0, when they keep telling me the type of cancer I have is aggressive. No scan other than the intial mamogram was ever performed. What the next step for me?
Best Answer
The term "aggressive"was used because when a cancer is ER/PR negative it is considered to be aggressive due to the fact that is has developed and grown without depending on hormones. One thing I don't quite understand is where you state that the margins were non-existant. There are always margins to every piece of tissue that is removed. The point is are the margins "clean" or do they contain cancer cells. Many tumors over the size of 2 cm are found and removed .. usually with some follow-up treatment such as you had. The next step that I see here is to keep the appointments with your Surgeon and Oncologist as recommended including whatever testing is advised on a yearly (or however often) basis.You have made no mention of lymph node removal or the results of the studies regarding the nodes. That I'm sure was a part of your surgery and your Pathology report. A good idea from what I read is to take all your records (including reports and films) to either another Oncologist or Breast Specialist and ask for a complete detailed explanation of your entire case. You seem to be missing some information and possibly misunderstanding some also. Regards ..
Thank you so much for clearing up some of my questions. I have been on an emotional rollercoaster. You made me feel a bit a more secure with my current treatments. I did have a lymph node removed with my second lumpectomy, it was negative. I also started immediate reconstruction after the bilateral mastectomy and did the radiation with my expanders. Back to the breast biopsy; it states the right breast contained extensive intraductal carcinoma in outer quadrants and the tumor approximates the surgical margin and in at least one section coagulated tumor is present at the inked cauterized margin. Again, THANK YOU!
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