DCIS and path report

Watercolor

In November '02, I was diagnosed with DCIS / stage 0 (single tumor). Lumpectomy, radiation, tamoxifen. The tumor was kinda large (4 CMs) and margins were clear though one was very narrow, so the radiation and tamoxifen. Had / have virtually no problems with any of the treatments. I'm fine. (I did have a biopsy this past November. Benign! I seem to be prone to microcalcification clusters.)

When I was diagnosed and got the path report after the lumpectomy, I couldn't understand it myself, but also I just didn't want to know too much. I'd get scared too easily. Now three years later, I'm trying to understand it. The tumor was kinda big and one narrow margin, as I said. It was growing a little aggressively (cribriform). There's one sentence that now concerns me a little, "Areas of atypical ductal hyperplasia are seen facally involving some margins." Just what does that mean? Better if it wasn't there, but not too serious I hope.

Sarah06

I am not exactly sure of what that phrase means, but you do have to watch DCIS. I had DCIS with a lumpectomy, with no radiation and no tamoxifin. 3 years later other spots came up. Go for 6 month mamograms and ultrasounds. Keep on top of those calcification spots. They are not not always harmless.
Sarah06

ClaudiaAnn

Try going to the John's Hopkins web site and see if someone there can give you an answer. You can google John's Hopkins and it will give you some places to look for answers or google your phrase and see what you get.

inkblot

Hey,

I ran a quick check on Google by typing in:
"atypical ductal hyperplasia". Much good info for you there. Check it out. Hope you'll find it encouraging.

You should also ask your doc to thoroughly explain it to your understanding.

Hope that helps.

Love, light and laughter,
Ink

epgnyc

You should check out medhelp.org. They have a breast cancer forum where questions are answered by doctors and a nurse practitioner. It has some great information. Good luck.

docholly

I think it probably reads "Areas of atypical ductal hyperplasia are seen fOcally involving some margins." Atypical hyperplasia means abnormal, excess growth, a condition that can sometimes lead to cancer. "Focal" just means that they are circumscribed. They were presumably located on the margins of the lumpectomy. You should ask your doctor about the implications for your care---but I am guessing that they are following these areas with high resolution mammograms to see if calcifications develop. It suggests that this is an area of higher risk for developing DCIS/cancer---but, then again, those of us with histories of DCIS are at increased risk anyhow--regardless of what was seen on the pathology report. It sounds like you are doing all the right things (careful follow up, tamoxifen) and that this sentence won't change anything.