infilterating ductal carcinoma?

ejprojects
ejprojects Member Posts: 18
edited March 2014 in Breast Cancer #1
well my girlfriend found out today she has infilterating ductal carcinoma. bilateral
masectomy awaits. that means both breasts, right? i've read about "invasive", but not "infilterating". what the hell is that?
tomorrow is cat-scan, bone-scan, and blood test. find out friday if it has metastisized.
but, they said she's not a gone-er after all,
though. whew! starting chemo tomorrow, also.
so you see, we are just starting the adventure! thanks all for listening. eric

Comments

  • hollywood
    hollywood Member Posts: 10
    #2
    My original dx (10/00) was insi tu carcinoma but 2nd opinion doc found invasive,single mastectomy 12/00, no chemo or rads & Her 2 neu-0Neg.
    I don't know if there's a difference in infiltrating & invasive.

    Weird how all mine came about....cat scan ordered to see about my dizzy spells,normal scan but I found lump after 42nd bday,mammo showed this & micro-calcifications...biopsy showed a small benign cyst but pathologist found carcinoma cells in tissue.

    Second docs radiologist found the invasive & a sentinel node biopsy was done w/ the modified radical, no node involvement....tamoxifen started 4/01. Pain in joints -etc, I asked for a bone scan....all normal but have pain in hips,shoulders & feet.
    After 6 mth check-up in 9/01, found small 10mm mass on left ovary,had lavoscoptic assisted hysterectomy.....NO cancer!

    Does anyone know for sure if tamoxifen can cause bone/joint pain &/or is the combination of the med & no hormones causing my pain?
    Thanks for sharing & listening....
    God Bless
    Keri
  • nocarb1
    nocarb1 Member Posts: 99
    #3
    Is she doing chemo before she does her surgery? Sounds like she is having surgery on Friday, but starting chemo tomorrow? I am confused!
  • blackbandana
    blackbandana Member Posts: 64
    #4
    I'm also confused. Her dx and treatments seem to be moving very very fast. Has she had a second opinion? Did they check her lymph nodes? I'm surprised that the are doing chemo and then surgery, I thought they did either or first not together. I hope all goes well for your girlfriend. Could your girlfriend not use your computer/access to post?
  • ejprojects
    ejprojects Member Posts: 18
    #5
    nocarb1 said:

    Is she doing chemo before she does her surgery? Sounds like she is having surgery on Friday, but starting chemo tomorrow? I am confused!

    hello,
    well ok, i guess i was confused, too.
    no date yet for chemo or surgery. she gets results of her blood test, bone-scan, and cat-scan on friday. she told her mother which she dreaded but it went ok. her biop. was pos though, total bilateral mast. awaits.
    what a horrendous disease! thanks for chatting. i think i'm doing this for my benefit. she hasn't expressed any desire to check out this site! she did buy a book though. so, fri.-results, mon.-second opinion, and tue.-biop. stitches out.
    i shoveled her deck for her this morning as she watched.....i worried that she might start to feel less in control of her life and hating to rely on others. i did it anyway 'cuz it needed to be done. she seems positive now so that is good! here we go....
    thanks, eric
  • crickless
    crickless Member Posts: 14
    #6
    Infiltrating and invasive mean the same thing. It is difficult to understand why the treatment is moving so very quickly. I'll ask the same question others have: has there been the opportunity for a second opinion? And, did chemo really begin yesterday? What is your girlfriend's first name? You both are in my thoughts today. --Caroline
  • pamtriggs
    pamtriggs Member Posts: 386
    #7
    blackbandana said:

    I'm also confused. Her dx and treatments seem to be moving very very fast. Has she had a second opinion? Did they check her lymph nodes? I'm surprised that the are doing chemo and then surgery, I thought they did either or first not together. I hope all goes well for your girlfriend. Could your girlfriend not use your computer/access to post?

    Usually chemo is given first only when a lumpectomy is scheduled. It reduces the tumour so that a smaller margin needs to be taked to be sure. Not usually done for infiltrating cancers. By the way infiltrating is the same as invasive. Your friend should ask the right questions & put on hold treatment until she is sure what is going on. It all seems wrong to me the way they are going about it. Try reading The Breast Cancer Survivors Manual by Dr. John Link. Very easy to understand & very very helpful with what questions to ask your treatment provider.
    Love & hugs
    Pam
  • ejprojects
    ejprojects Member Posts: 18
    #8
    blackbandana said:

    I'm also confused. Her dx and treatments seem to be moving very very fast. Has she had a second opinion? Did they check her lymph nodes? I'm surprised that the are doing chemo and then surgery, I thought they did either or first not together. I hope all goes well for your girlfriend. Could your girlfriend not use your computer/access to post?

    second opinion is tomorrow, chemo started
    last fri. if tumour shrinks from chemo..
    (we hope) then surgery after 3 more chemo's.
    her tmn is 4d-2-0. stage 3. i'm glad they started, she waited too long. i use the computer at work, she doesn't have one and
    she doesn't seem interested in this site,
    yet. i go here for myself right now! i printed a few responses for her, though.
    thanks for your concern. eric

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