Pathology report

Grains
Grains Member Posts: 27
edited March 2014 in Breast Cancer #1
OK So I got my pathology report. It doesn't say much. I need to know what this means. Can anyone help me, please?
"Sections of the indurated portion of the second specimen reveal a focus of infiltrating ductal carcinoma, consistent of cohesive nests of relatively large malignant cells with many fibrous stroma"

I know the first part means I have breast cancer, but the "cohesive nests of relatively large malignant cells with fibrous stroma" has me puzzled. It also says "no discreet mass" is identified, but 1.5 cm has the cancer in it.

Hope someone can help me. I haven't got any more results yet. Thanks.

Comments

  • TraciInLA
    TraciInLA Member Posts: 1,994 Member
    #2
    Holy moly
    That's one of those sentences that is entirely composed of recognizable English words, but then you string them together, and somehow they become an alien dialect. I have no clue what any of that means.

    I have a dim memory of someone posting here once that the ACS has folks who can help you translate a path report? Does that sound familar to anyone?

    Traci
  • Ritzy
    Ritzy Member Posts: 4,381 Member
    #3
    Have your oncologist explain this to you asap
    When is your appointment with your oncologist? Or, what doctor are you seeing next? They will explain all of it to you. All I can figure out is what you did. It sounds like you have infiltrating ductal cancer. And, if you don't have an appointment yet, make one as soon as possible to have this explained to you. Let us know and good luck!

    Sue :)
  • Grains
    Grains Member Posts: 27
    #4
    Ritzy said:

    Have your oncologist explain this to you asap
    When is your appointment with your oncologist? Or, what doctor are you seeing next? They will explain all of it to you. All I can figure out is what you did. It sounds like you have infiltrating ductal cancer. And, if you don't have an appointment yet, make one as soon as possible to have this explained to you. Let us know and good luck!

    Sue :)

    I do have an appointment
    I do have an appointment next week. I am just anxious, I guess. This is the second time around for me and I would like to know if I have to have Chemo or not. I had another mastectomy Oct 19 and am healing nicely. Thanks for your help.

    Grains
  • Ritzy
    Ritzy Member Posts: 4,381 Member
    #5
    Grains said:

    I do have an appointment
    I do have an appointment next week. I am just anxious, I guess. This is the second time around for me and I would like to know if I have to have Chemo or not. I had another mastectomy Oct 19 and am healing nicely. Thanks for your help.

    Grains

    Oh, I understand that you
    Oh, I understand that you are anxious. I hate that part of this, we just wait for this and wait for that. They should know that we do not want to wait! lol I am sorry that this is your second time. I understand how apprehensive you must be. Were your lymph nodes clean? I know that if they aren't, usually they recommend chemo for that.

    Sue :)
  • Grains
    Grains Member Posts: 27
    #6
    Ritzy said:

    Oh, I understand that you
    Oh, I understand that you are anxious. I hate that part of this, we just wait for this and wait for that. They should know that we do not want to wait! lol I am sorry that this is your second time. I understand how apprehensive you must be. Were your lymph nodes clean? I know that if they aren't, usually they recommend chemo for that.

    Sue :)

    Yes, they were clean. I am
    Yes, they were clean. I am just waiting for my estrogen positive or negative status and the other path tests. I was supposed to get them today, but somehow there was a mix up and they weren't there. I am getting very impatient. First, the radiologist didn't notify me about my mammogram. I waited six weeks, then had a dream that said I should call about it. I called, then was told to come back, it was "incomplete". Went in and the radiologist said maybe I would like it to come out. I said yes, had to wait 2 WEEKS more because He was going on vacation. Had the biopsy, had to wait another week for diagnosis, then another 2 weeks to have the mastectomy. I am just so tired of waiting. WAH WAH WAH. I sound so spoiled. I am usually a very patient person, but at this time I am not. I am going to call the DR office tomorrow afternoon and hope they have some results for me. Thanks so much for your response. It is nice to know there are others out there waiting and wondering as well.
    Grains
  • Ritzy
    Ritzy Member Posts: 4,381 Member
    #7
    Grains said:

    Yes, they were clean. I am
    Yes, they were clean. I am just waiting for my estrogen positive or negative status and the other path tests. I was supposed to get them today, but somehow there was a mix up and they weren't there. I am getting very impatient. First, the radiologist didn't notify me about my mammogram. I waited six weeks, then had a dream that said I should call about it. I called, then was told to come back, it was "incomplete". Went in and the radiologist said maybe I would like it to come out. I said yes, had to wait 2 WEEKS more because He was going on vacation. Had the biopsy, had to wait another week for diagnosis, then another 2 weeks to have the mastectomy. I am just so tired of waiting. WAH WAH WAH. I sound so spoiled. I am usually a very patient person, but at this time I am not. I am going to call the DR office tomorrow afternoon and hope they have some results for me. Thanks so much for your response. It is nice to know there are others out there waiting and wondering as well.
    Grains

    That is awful that you had
    That is awful that you had to go thru that for your mammo. I would shoot the radiologist! People that don't have bc, just have no idea of what we go thru. I know of a few on here that got the run around on some of their tests results, and, guess what? They went to the doctor's office and sat there demanding to know, and, they found out. Sometimes, it takes extreme measures to make people, even doctors, understand how our emotions are at their peak with cancer. I wish you good luck tomorrow!

    Sue :)
  • Booberta
    Booberta Member Posts: 61
    #8
    Ritzy said:

    That is awful that you had
    That is awful that you had to go thru that for your mammo. I would shoot the radiologist! People that don't have bc, just have no idea of what we go thru. I know of a few on here that got the run around on some of their tests results, and, guess what? They went to the doctor's office and sat there demanding to know, and, they found out. Sometimes, it takes extreme measures to make people, even doctors, understand how our emotions are at their peak with cancer. I wish you good luck tomorrow!

    Sue :)

    OH
    The waiting sucks!! I have no idea how to interpret you path report. Hope your onc. can clarify. I agree with Ritzy, the radiologist should be shot or at least slapped up the side of the head with a prosthesis!!
  • Grains
    Grains Member Posts: 27
    #9
    Booberta said:

    OH
    The waiting sucks!! I have no idea how to interpret you path report. Hope your onc. can clarify. I agree with Ritzy, the radiologist should be shot or at least slapped up the side of the head with a prosthesis!!

    Ha Ha Ha, Thanks for the
    Ha Ha Ha, Thanks for the laugh. I can just picture it in my mind!! God bless you for your humor. I will let you know tomorrow!
  • DebbyM
    DebbyM Member Posts: 3,289 Member
    #10
    Grains said:

    Ha Ha Ha, Thanks for the
    Ha Ha Ha, Thanks for the laugh. I can just picture it in my mind!! God bless you for your humor. I will let you know tomorrow!

    Good luck today grains. Let
    Good luck today grains. Let us know what you find out.

    Debby
  • Ritzy
    Ritzy Member Posts: 4,381 Member
    #11
    DebbyM said:

    Good luck today grains. Let
    Good luck today grains. Let us know what you find out.

    Debby

    Be sure and update us on
    Be sure and update us on your path report! Good luck!

    Sue :)
  • CypressCynthia
    CypressCynthia Member Posts: 4,014 Member
    #12
    Don't know if this helps,
    Don't know if this helps, but the way my doc explained ductal carcinoma was that the cancer grows along the milk ducts in the breast. He said that my tumor was more like a spider than a solid mass. I'm sure this is a simplification but it helped me visualize. If you search "What is breast cancer?" at the American Cancer Society site, you will see an illustration.
  • Akiss4me
    Akiss4me Member Posts: 2,188
    #13
    TraciInLA said:

    Holy moly
    That's one of those sentences that is entirely composed of recognizable English words, but then you string them together, and somehow they become an alien dialect. I have no clue what any of that means.

    I have a dim memory of someone posting here once that the ACS has folks who can help you translate a path report? Does that sound familar to anyone?

    Traci

    Yes Traci....
    You are correct!! ♥Pammy
  • Grains
    Grains Member Posts: 27
    #14
    CypressCynthia said:

    Don't know if this helps,
    Don't know if this helps, but the way my doc explained ductal carcinoma was that the cancer grows along the milk ducts in the breast. He said that my tumor was more like a spider than a solid mass. I'm sure this is a simplification but it helped me visualize. If you search "What is breast cancer?" at the American Cancer Society site, you will see an illustration.

    Guess what. I called the DR
    Guess what. I called the DR office today to see if they had the results and they said they just sent it in for the test. So I won't know for awhile. I'm glad I called or they might have forgotten again. Thanks for all of your good thoughts prayers and info. I will keep you posted.

Discussion Boards