colloid carcinoma

lucy
lucy Member Posts: 157
edited March 2014 in Breast Cancer #1
Hi - I have a good friend that called me yesterday to tell me that she also was detected with Breast Cancer. She said that she was diagnosed with colloid carcinoma, which is a rare type of cancer. Has anyone out there had this type of cancer? If so, what kind of treatment have you had? I did not have that type of breast cancer, and did not know if her treatment would be the same as mine. Thanks for your help for my friend. God Bless, Lucy

Comments

  • califdreamin
    califdreamin Member Posts: 11
    I typed "Colloid Carcinoma" into my browser window and this is what came up -

    "There are some subtypes of ductal carcinoma. The importance of these different types is that their prognosis may be somewhat different. In colloid, or mucinous carcinoma, there is moderate metastatic potential, being less than that of the "ordinary" invasive ductal carcinoma. This tends to occur in older women, and is slow growing.

    In colloid carcinoma, there are malignant cells, which are often found floating in lakes or seas of mucin."

    I hope this helps with your question.
  • jbeardslee
    jbeardslee Member Posts: 75
    Hi Lucy,

    My lab report did list my cancer as colloid carcinoma or mucinous carcinoma. I was diagnosed in June after having a lumpectomy to remove a suspicious calification. The actual cancer was found in the border tissue and even though the doctors said I would be fine with radiation, I opted to have a mastectomy. I felt better about having the surgery since again, my cancer was located in border tissue and I wouldn't have been comfortable without having at least some more tissue in that area removed. I too was told Mucinous carcinoma is a slow growing form, not as quick to spread as some other cancers. After having the mastectomy tissue checked (and the lymph nodes under the arm) no more cancerous tissue was found so my doctors felt comfortable I didn't need chemo. I am on tamoxifen for 5 years. I've been blessed since my surgery that I haven't had any trouble with lymphedema or discomfort. I hope your friend has as good a diagnosis, treatment and recovery as I have. My cancer did not show in last year's annual mammogram so it was caught very early and was still very small. I do go for my first 6-month follow-up mammo later this week.
    God Bless, judy
  • lucy
    lucy Member Posts: 157

    Hi Lucy,

    My lab report did list my cancer as colloid carcinoma or mucinous carcinoma. I was diagnosed in June after having a lumpectomy to remove a suspicious calification. The actual cancer was found in the border tissue and even though the doctors said I would be fine with radiation, I opted to have a mastectomy. I felt better about having the surgery since again, my cancer was located in border tissue and I wouldn't have been comfortable without having at least some more tissue in that area removed. I too was told Mucinous carcinoma is a slow growing form, not as quick to spread as some other cancers. After having the mastectomy tissue checked (and the lymph nodes under the arm) no more cancerous tissue was found so my doctors felt comfortable I didn't need chemo. I am on tamoxifen for 5 years. I've been blessed since my surgery that I haven't had any trouble with lymphedema or discomfort. I hope your friend has as good a diagnosis, treatment and recovery as I have. My cancer did not show in last year's annual mammogram so it was caught very early and was still very small. I do go for my first 6-month follow-up mammo later this week.
    God Bless, judy

    HI Judy - Thank you very much for your very informative reply - that is what she wanted to know what kind of treatment anyone out there had, so she knew what to expect. She has an appointment with an oncologist on Dec. 19th. Good Luck with your first 6 month follow-up mammo, I know how scared I was when I had my first follow-up one. I have had 2 and no problems, with God's help.
    Lucy
  • shirlann
    shirlann Member Posts: 229
    Hi, have your friend get Dr. Susan Love's "Breast BOok" It is our "bible" for info, she can probably find out all she needs to know from that source. God bless, Shirlann
  • pamomof2
    pamomof2 Member Posts: 15
    Hello. I was diagnosed with Colloid Carcinoma Nov. 13, 2001 at the age of 44. I had a 7 yr. old daughter and 6.5 yr. old son. I had a complete hysterectomy in 1999 due to recurrance of uteran fibroids which I'd had major surgery for in 1993. I went on Premarin immediately following surgery. Everything seemed to be going well other than constant weight gain, until I found the lump in mid Oct. 2001. I had just had my yearly mammo. in April. My lump was on the areola and was very soft so I didn't think much of it. Once I mentioned it to my Dr. she got me in for a mammo. the next day. When they called the head of imaging in to check it out I suspected something was wrong. I got in to see my surgeon within a couple days. On Nov. 7 he did an in-office needle biopsy and both he and his asst. had never seen anything like this before. It was like a clear gel substance, and they assured me that it was more likely nothing to be concerned with. On Nov. 13 before my husband returned home from work, and while my children were playing quietly, I rec'd a phone call from the Dr. When he asked if I were alone my heart stopped and I started going into a slow panic mode and I turned completely numb. I insisted he tell me, he stated that my biopsy was cancerous. WOW I felt like I had just stepped into a wind tunnel and felt like everything was falling in around me. Just hearing the C word was just plain unacceptable, especially since he had told me during the biopsy that it more than likely wasn't anything (although that might have been better than worrying for a week). After much research on the internet, contacting nurses from Magee Women's Hospital Breast Cancer Clinic in Pittsburgh and sitting in a discussion with my surgeon, husband and mother-in-law who is an RN, we opted to go with a partial mastectomy rather than my "initial" radical decision of a complete mastectomy. The day before surgery I had bone scan, cat scan and blood work which showed nothing else anywhere. They removed my left nipple, small section of surrounding tissue and lymph nodes. EVERYTHING came back clear and my surgeon, the oncologist and the Dr. at Magee where I went for my second opinion after surgery all told me that there was no need for chemo. This is an extremely rare form of cancer. Non-invasive like other forms, the least fatal form and very slow growing. It usually shows up in older women, not women my age, but it was caught in very early stages and my chances of recurrance are slim to none. I underwent 6 weeks of radiation and am on Tamoxifen for 3 more years (have been on for 2 now). My surgeon, although he didn't come out and mention it, felt that in his opinion I had this for at least 2 years even though it never showed up on my yearly mammos. He said that Had I had a breast ultra-sound that it probably would have been noticed earlier. I asked him if he thought it could have been caused from the Premarin (which I started July 1999 and cancer detected Oct. 2001). He didn't give me a yes or no. Since the only person in my family to have breast cancer is my 90 year old Grandmother who was just diagnosed with it in Sept. 2000 and whom my Dr. doesn't even consider in my risk factor, I would really have to lean that way. I have had clean check-ups all around since then and go on regular basis. They just built a new cancer center beside our hospital and just this week got a PET Scan. When I go in for my next check-up in about 6 weeks I will ask my Dr. about scheduling me for one of these JUST TO EASE MY mind. I was told in Oct. when I went in to see the radiation dr. that he believes I have a 99.9% of never having a recurrance.