I am new

Mayor

Last October during a regular mammogram they found calcifications. My doctor sent me for a core needle biopsy which came back that I had DCIS in the right breast.
In Feb 2009 I had a partial mastectomy. They removed some tissue and sent it to the lab. It came back with the margins not clear. So in July I had a second surgery.
They took more tissue and the lab divided this into 12 pieces and 2 out of 12 came back with irregular cells.
Now I am having a third surgery to remove more tissue to get clear margins.(good thing I have large breast...the right getting smallaer and smaller)
How many more operations do I have before I say just cut it off.
I am confused They keep telling me it's not cancer and not to worry.
But I do worry

Cat64

Welcome Mayor
I'm sorry you have to go through all this! I haven't made it to surgery yet so I can't really help you there, I know I am hoping to only do it ONCE though. I'm sure others with that experience will be here shortly to help you. Sounds like you need to discuss these things with your surgeon. Did they tell you what that meant? "Irregular cells"? Ask until you get the answers you need to hear. Maybe get a second opinion or you might even want to get another surgeon. This is YOUR body they are referring to! You have the right to be informed to where you can understand what is going on.
Hugz,
Cathy

Marcia527

Here is what the Mayo Clinic
Here is what the Mayo Clinic says about DCIS:

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/dcis/DS00983

I'd write down what you are confused about and get answers. I'm not sure why they say it's not cancer unless it's because it's noninvasive. Mayo Clinic says it's the earliest form of cancer and maybe that is why they say not to worry. Ask at what point they will do a mastectomy.

Tux

I agree with the posters
I agree with the posters above - DCIS is the earliest form of cancer. I was dx'ed with it in July 2009 and had a needle loc & a lumpectomy July 20. I assumed that the surgeon would get everything the first time and he did. Now, if he had had to go in a second time, I would have been OK with that, but a third time???? It is time to ask some questions & maybe even consult another surgeon. I am sorry you have had to go through this. Let us know what happens!

Eil4186

Why are they waiting months
Why are they waiting months and months between surgeries? That seems very strange.

Mayor

Tux said:

I agree with the posters
I agree with the posters above - DCIS is the earliest form of cancer. I was dx'ed with it in July 2009 and had a needle loc & a lumpectomy July 20. I assumed that the surgeon would get everything the first time and he did. Now, if he had had to go in a second time, I would have been OK with that, but a third time???? It is time to ask some questions & maybe even consult another surgeon. I am sorry you have had to go through this. Let us know what happens!

I have had three opinion.
I have had three opinion. One was from the head of a breast cancer clinic. And when I asked her what she would do she said that it was way premature to think about having a mastectomy. She said that I should have this one last surgery and then some radiation, as it is noninvasive.My family doctor actually took my file home one weekend to consult with his wife who is also a doctor. He phoned me at home to tell me that his wife and he agreed with the other two doctors.
It still bothers me though that each time they say they have it all until the pathology report comes back and the margins are not clear enough for them.
I guess I should be grateful they are being so thorough, but at the same time I cannot shake this gut feeling that there is more.

TraciInLA

Mayor said:

I have had three opinion.
I have had three opinion. One was from the head of a breast cancer clinic. And when I asked her what she would do she said that it was way premature to think about having a mastectomy. She said that I should have this one last surgery and then some radiation, as it is noninvasive.My family doctor actually took my file home one weekend to consult with his wife who is also a doctor. He phoned me at home to tell me that his wife and he agreed with the other two doctors.
It still bothers me though that each time they say they have it all until the pathology report comes back and the margins are not clear enough for them.
I guess I should be grateful they are being so thorough, but at the same time I cannot shake this gut feeling that there is more.

Welcome, Mayor
I'm so sorry that you're having to have so many surgeries.

From all I read before my surgeries, it isn't generally the surgeon's fault when margins don't come back clear. They do their best based on what they see, but can't really know for sure until they see the pathology report.

I think it depends on who you ask whether or not DCIS is technically cancer. Some cancer professionals classify it as "precancer," others as the lowest stage of cancer. But is there really a meaningful difference? It's probably just semantics.

On this journey, whenever I've had to make a decision, I've gathered all the information I can from doctors I trust, and taken it all into consideration, but in the end it's your body, you live inside of it and know it better than anyone else, and you have to do what feels best for you. All of my doctors have told me to not discount my "gut feelings" in any of this.

Please keep us posted on how things go for you.

Traci

jnl

Eil4186 said:

Why are they waiting months
Why are they waiting months and months between surgeries? That seems very strange.

Yes, this is puzzling. Why
Yes, this is puzzling. Why are they waiting? And, if it isn't cancer, why remove it?

Kylez

jnl said:

Yes, this is puzzling. Why
Yes, this is puzzling. Why are they waiting? And, if it isn't cancer, why remove it?

I hope all turns out for
I hope all turns out for you, but, this is confusing. Post and update us when you can.

Kylez ♥