hyperthermia

Aj123abc said:

Please advise/Re: Hyperthermia

I am a single 34 year old woman- healthy (or at least that is what I thought I was), active and a professional engineer. I had not gone for my physical for about 5 years. About 3 months ago I went for a physical. 

 

About 2 weeks later after my physical checkup (with everything being OK), I saw bloody discharge from my left nipple. I got scared, and called my Dr I then did my mamo. The radiologist referred me to a general surgeon with her specialty being in breast cancer. The surgeon had me go through a core-biopsy on my left breast. The pathology report then came out and I was diagnosed with DCIS (grade 3) non-invasive stage 0 cancer 6cm wide. 

 

The surgeon (being her special domain) in a determined manner suggested for me to get a mastectomy. She then had me do a MRI. The MRI results came with the same results plus showing a tiny smaller area next to where the original mamo had ended up showing calcification. My dr. said she did not know what this was, but it would be ok since she was going to cut my breast and throw it away anyway (not in these exact words but conveying the same message).   I then did my genetic testing, and the results have come out showing me being BRCA1 negative but BRCA2 positive meaning I have a higher chance of getting breast cancer from average women. 

 

My blood-like left nipple dischage no longer happens as often and is now colorless discharge and it happens especially when taking shower under warm water or when I squeeze it.

 

Needless to say, I am shocked and going through an agonizing time. I have done lots of research on the topic  and alternatives. I do not want to go through mastectomy as my surgeon so eagerly wants me to do. She was pre-determined for me to do the mastectomy to begin with and I feel sending me through biopsy, and MRI were just a formality.

 

I have seen 2 other different surgeons at Stanford, and UCSF also and being their domain expertise, they all would love to butcher my breast(s) to get rid of DCIS.

 

 

 

In short there are 3 camps:

 

1) Camp 1: Surgeons. The only thing these guys ever advise folks like myself with DCIS do is to cut and thow away the breast that is diagnosed wtih DCIS. Not even lumpectomy but just mastectomy. Cut and thow away. And in my case since I am also BRCA2 positive, their advice is to also cut the good breast that I have and throw that away also. Period. I have met with 3 surgeons (all 3 being the best in the industry in what they do at Standford, and UCSF).

 

2) Camp 2: Gersen gerson.org/gerpress/the-gerson... and Dr. Lorrine Day (who herself used to be a top surgeon at UCSF untill she herself got her breast cancer - www.drday.com/). These folks reject the folks in Camp 1. Their advice is strict healthy diet, change of attitude toward life in manageing stress, etc. They say the folks in camp 1 are just barbarians.

 

3) The folks at Bicher cancer institute www.bichercancerinstitute.com/

 

So here I am trying to decide as what to do. I definitely do not want the butchers cut my breasts and throw it away. This is their domain expertise and the only thing they know as how to do. When I asked them about Hyperthermia, they had not even heard about it let alone thinking of it as a viable option.  The dr. at UCSF after being pressed on to see what it is, just said it is used for very advanced breast cancers and/or re-occuring breast cancer. When I asked why can it not be used for stage 0 DCIS non-invasive cancer, he could not provide an answer except to tell me he would set up a meeting with UCSF's rdiologist oncologists who are  experts in Hyperthermia and they can tell me. I will be seeing them next week. Can not wait to see what they say.

 

Ideally, #2 and #3 would be my choice.  Are the other places in Germany that can offer a better effective cure? What option and approach to use...? Please advise/help.

 

And what I have also found out is that, this breast cancer stuff is BIG business - and anyone who is in this business wants to have a piece of the action - even if that means pushing one type of treatment over another (e.g mastectomy).

 

I am confused as hell as what approach to take. But above all l am scared, and I am mad, and I am in tears  for what I have been diagnosed with. Till 2 months ago I was a normal 34 year old single woman never married no children whose only concern was whether she could deliver the assigned engineering project ahead of schedules. And today I have to decide what approach to take in treating my DCIS.

I am very sorry that you have to deal with cancer at a very young age.

quick question stage 0 with tumor 6 cm wide. Usually 6 cm is considered stage 3. Which one are you having?

my friend who lives in Germany is doing a conventional way mastectomy Chemo and radiation

Aj123abc said:

Please advise/Re: Hyperthermia

I am a single 34 year old woman- healthy (or at least that is what I thought I was), active and a professional engineer. I had not gone for my physical for about 5 years. About 3 months ago I went for a physical. 

 

About 2 weeks later after my physical checkup (with everything being OK), I saw bloody discharge from my left nipple. I got scared, and called my Dr I then did my mamo. The radiologist referred me to a general surgeon with her specialty being in breast cancer. The surgeon had me go through a core-biopsy on my left breast. The pathology report then came out and I was diagnosed with DCIS (grade 3) non-invasive stage 0 cancer 6cm wide. 

 

The surgeon (being her special domain) in a determined manner suggested for me to get a mastectomy. She then had me do a MRI. The MRI results came with the same results plus showing a tiny smaller area next to where the original mamo had ended up showing calcification. My dr. said she did not know what this was, but it would be ok since she was going to cut my breast and throw it away anyway (not in these exact words but conveying the same message).   I then did my genetic testing, and the results have come out showing me being BRCA1 negative but BRCA2 positive meaning I have a higher chance of getting breast cancer from average women. 

 

My blood-like left nipple dischage no longer happens as often and is now colorless discharge and it happens especially when taking shower under warm water or when I squeeze it.

 

Needless to say, I am shocked and going through an agonizing time. I have done lots of research on the topic  and alternatives. I do not want to go through mastectomy as my surgeon so eagerly wants me to do. She was pre-determined for me to do the mastectomy to begin with and I feel sending me through biopsy, and MRI were just a formality.

 

I have seen 2 other different surgeons at Stanford, and UCSF also and being their domain expertise, they all would love to butcher my breast(s) to get rid of DCIS.

 

 

 

In short there are 3 camps:

 

1) Camp 1: Surgeons. The only thing these guys ever advise folks like myself with DCIS do is to cut and thow away the breast that is diagnosed wtih DCIS. Not even lumpectomy but just mastectomy. Cut and thow away. And in my case since I am also BRCA2 positive, their advice is to also cut the good breast that I have and throw that away also. Period. I have met with 3 surgeons (all 3 being the best in the industry in what they do at Standford, and UCSF).

 

2) Camp 2: Gersen gerson.org/gerpress/the-gerson... and Dr. Lorrine Day (who herself used to be a top surgeon at UCSF untill she herself got her breast cancer - www.drday.com/). These folks reject the folks in Camp 1. Their advice is strict healthy diet, change of attitude toward life in manageing stress, etc. They say the folks in camp 1 are just barbarians.

 

3) The folks at Bicher cancer institute www.bichercancerinstitute.com/

 

So here I am trying to decide as what to do. I definitely do not want the butchers cut my breasts and throw it away. This is their domain expertise and the only thing they know as how to do. When I asked them about Hyperthermia, they had not even heard about it let alone thinking of it as a viable option.  The dr. at UCSF after being pressed on to see what it is, just said it is used for very advanced breast cancers and/or re-occuring breast cancer. When I asked why can it not be used for stage 0 DCIS non-invasive cancer, he could not provide an answer except to tell me he would set up a meeting with UCSF's rdiologist oncologists who are  experts in Hyperthermia and they can tell me. I will be seeing them next week. Can not wait to see what they say.

 

Ideally, #2 and #3 would be my choice.  Are the other places in Germany that can offer a better effective cure? What option and approach to use...? Please advise/help.

 

And what I have also found out is that, this breast cancer stuff is BIG business - and anyone who is in this business wants to have a piece of the action - even if that means pushing one type of treatment over another (e.g mastectomy).

 

I am confused as hell as what approach to take. But above all l am scared, and I am mad, and I am in tears  for what I have been diagnosed with. Till 2 months ago I was a normal 34 year old single woman never married no children whose only concern was whether she could deliver the assigned engineering project ahead of schedules. And today I have to decide what approach to take in treating my DCIS.

First of all, hyperthermia treatments in the U.S. are only used on locally advanced cases. Even though your 6 cm of DCIS is large, it is not considered an advanced form of breast cancer.

There are several treatment choices for someone with DCIS. Some are choosing to do the wait and see approach (but it is highly controversial), some get a lumpectomy, some get a lumpectomy plus radiation, some get a mastectomy, and if margins aren't clean then rads are required. And of course there is the issue of whether the DCIS is hormone positive or not. There are some rumblings of what place Her2 status plays into DCIS, but the majority of I what I see, don't use it in the treatment of DCIS.

Surgeons are not butchers (unless of course they are extremely bad at their jobs). You have a large amount of DCIS in your breast. Sometimes surgeons recommend mastectomies for women with small breasts and a large amount of DCIS.

I am a bit confused. A core biopsy usually doesn't contain 6 cm of biopsy tissue. That sounds more like a lumpectomy to me. Giving you a biopsy, MRI are widely used for DCIS. However, I am still confused as to how they know you have 6 CM of DCIS from a core biopsy. An MRI and mammogram can show suspicious tissues, but can not diagnose them.

It is shocking to be diagnosed with cancer. Espcecially like you who has a high grade, BRAC2 positive large amount.

You don't mention if you are hormone positive or not?

There are many women, like me for instance, who had a bilateral mastectomy for DCIS. I had both breasts removed (not butchered and thrown away). I am happy with my decision.

I have learned through the years that my thoughts can influence my emotions.Instead of using such negative words such as butchers, throwing breasts away, etc, and using more neutral words like surgeon, mastectomy, procedure, etc you may find that you can handle things easier.

I am still confused why you haven't had a lumpectomy yet. After they removed the cancer,  you need to have an area called a clean margin. I think you need someone to sit down with you and explain DCIS, the progression of cells, details about your particular cancer.

THere is a resident expert named Beesie on breastcancer.org's webiste in the DCIS forum. Perhaps you could post your issues there as well.