breast cancer in situ after mastectomy?

So sorry
So sorry you should have to face this again. No this has not happened to me so in that case I cannot be of the type of help you are looking for. I can however pray that you have a clear head to understand the implications of this for you.

serenity92 said:

Oh my goodness. I can only
Oh my goodness. I can only imagine how upset you are. My exchange surgery is scheduled for Feb. 21st. I have spent the last six months looking forward to that week. To have your excitement changed to something negetive is really rough. I can only offer you my support and prayers. Please keep us posted as soon as you hear more. Know that you are never alone. Jayne

I am so sorry that this
I am so sorry that this happened. I am sending lots of cyber hugs and prayers to you. Keep us updated please.


Hugs, Noel

I am so so sorry to hear of
I am so so sorry to hear of your cancer coming back. But I question the diagnoses. In situ cancer or non-invasive means that it DCIS, Stage 0(there is LCIS but I don't know much about that other than it is a precancer, and there is some debate about that). That can ONLY occur in the milk ducts. Once the DCIS leaves the milk ducts it is no longer non-invasive. I don't understand how it could be called non-invasive if it is not in a milk duct. Talk to your oncologist about this and make sure it is the right stage.

I would also ask why it was the breast surgeon determining whether or not you needed radiation and not the radiation oncologist. I know with DCIS and mastectomy, if the margins are clean, there is no need for radiation, but I don't know about higher stages.

I know that for those of us that get mastectomies, we think we have a better chance of not getting it back. But I was warned by my surgeon that there is no guarantee that there weren't a cancer cell or two left behind that they just don't know about.So I would ask your breast surgeon what your margins were after the mastectomy. If your margins weren't clean, perhaps you should have had radiation. Also, I would ask the breast surgeon how she knew she got all the cancer.

Also, when we get mastectomies, not all the breast tissue is taken out. There is more tissue considered breast tissue than just the breast. Breast tissue is more extensive than most people think, going across the chest and upwards, etc.

I agree that you should ask your breast surgeon, plastic surgeon and oncologists how this will effect your reconstruction.

I know there is another lady on here that had cancer in her scar tissue. I am not sure if she had a mastectomy or not though. I hope she sees this and can help you.

I am sure some of the other ladies that had a reoccurrence will help you out.

Had 0 Stage DCIS - Mastectomies - Recurrence on scar
Extremely important that you write down all your questions when you see the doctors. Give the doctor one copy and you keep a copy, so you can check it off when question has been answered. If you don't have it, buy Dr. Susan Love's Breast Book, 5th Edition. If I had read the whole book, I would have then known that it is possible to have a recurrence on the scar. Make sure you know the growth rate of your cancer. That will tell you how fast you need to act. Most important, don't look backward about your cancer. Concentrate now on the course of action and what your options are.

First time around, I had two surgical biopsies in right breast where margins were not clear. I started with one speck of cancer - 0 Stage DCIS. I then decided to be extremely aggressive and opted to have both breasts removed. Lymph nodes were clear and breast showed no more cancer present when examined by pathologist. Great. No chemo. No radiation. No Arimidex.

Had immediate breast reconstruction which ended up taking 2 years to complete due to infection in both tissue expanders.

One year with implants and three years after mastectomies, cancer appeared on my surgical scar. I thought it was an irritation to the stitches. Diagnosed now with invasive carcinoma. General feeling by breast oncology surgeon was that it was still the same cancer, which biopsy proved. All tests...MRI, Bone Scan, Cat Scan...showed no cancer present anywhere else in my body. However, these tests cannot detect microscopic cancer, only a microscope can detect it.

Treatment plan now was a total of 33 days of radiation followed by Arimidex. I fired my first hematologist as she did not respond to me regarding the side effects to Arimidex. She told me flatly that my side effects were not side effects to Arimidex. The new doctor is fantastic, smart, and open minded.

I am fairly certain that you will now have radiation. Please read about radiation. I did not want my lymph nodes radiated and made sure that the doctor honored my request.

So you understand a mastectomy. A tiny portion of breast tissue is left directly behind your skin...it supports your skin.

My recurrence is extremely, extremely rare. One in a few million will have this happen to them. Lucky me!! I always look at the positive. The recurrence brought me to this site. I searched for more knowledge, which I share with everyone who has a need for it. I am a volunteer at Lynn Sage Breast Center and calm the women who come there for diagnostic testing. I helped develop sources of information for breast cancer women for my plastic surgeon's website. He asked me to help them. AND, I believe that I am going to live to my 90's.

My best wishes to you. Second time around is not easy, mentally. Please continue to post for support and knowledge. We are here for you.

Lots of Hugs,
Janelle

Different Ballgame said:

Had 0 Stage DCIS - Mastectomies - Recurrence on scar
Extremely important that you write down all your questions when you see the doctors. Give the doctor one copy and you keep a copy, so you can check it off when question has been answered. If you don't have it, buy Dr. Susan Love's Breast Book, 5th Edition. If I had read the whole book, I would have then known that it is possible to have a recurrence on the scar. Make sure you know the growth rate of your cancer. That will tell you how fast you need to act. Most important, don't look backward about your cancer. Concentrate now on the course of action and what your options are.

First time around, I had two surgical biopsies in right breast where margins were not clear. I started with one speck of cancer - 0 Stage DCIS. I then decided to be extremely aggressive and opted to have both breasts removed. Lymph nodes were clear and breast showed no more cancer present when examined by pathologist. Great. No chemo. No radiation. No Arimidex.

Had immediate breast reconstruction which ended up taking 2 years to complete due to infection in both tissue expanders.

One year with implants and three years after mastectomies, cancer appeared on my surgical scar. I thought it was an irritation to the stitches. Diagnosed now with invasive carcinoma. General feeling by breast oncology surgeon was that it was still the same cancer, which biopsy proved. All tests...MRI, Bone Scan, Cat Scan...showed no cancer present anywhere else in my body. However, these tests cannot detect microscopic cancer, only a microscope can detect it.

Treatment plan now was a total of 33 days of radiation followed by Arimidex. I fired my first hematologist as she did not respond to me regarding the side effects to Arimidex. She told me flatly that my side effects were not side effects to Arimidex. The new doctor is fantastic, smart, and open minded.

I am fairly certain that you will now have radiation. Please read about radiation. I did not want my lymph nodes radiated and made sure that the doctor honored my request.

So you understand a mastectomy. A tiny portion of breast tissue is left directly behind your skin...it supports your skin.

My recurrence is extremely, extremely rare. One in a few million will have this happen to them. Lucky me!! I always look at the positive. The recurrence brought me to this site. I searched for more knowledge, which I share with everyone who has a need for it. I am a volunteer at Lynn Sage Breast Center and calm the women who come there for diagnostic testing. I helped develop sources of information for breast cancer women for my plastic surgeon's website. He asked me to help them. AND, I believe that I am going to live to my 90's.

My best wishes to you. Second time around is not easy, mentally. Please continue to post for support and knowledge. We are here for you.

Lots of Hugs,
Janelle

I have heard of recurrence
I have heard of recurrence after reconstruction some cells show up on the tissue. The doctor gets margins and then feels the cancer is all removed. I had a local recurrence after reconstruction in 1995. I had the implant removed, had radiation, and never reconstructed after that. I also had a repeat CT and bone scan. at that time. I did not have any further issues in that breast after that.

Cells
Hi,

There is no guarantee that chemo will ever kill all cancer cells. That's all it takes is one left behind to start growing again. I never did radiation either and had a recurrance in my bones five years later after five years of tamoxafin. Your doctor may have felt like she got it all and it may not have been visible if it was just a couple of cells left behind. The fact is cancer loves scar tissue. My second was wrapped around my scar tissue and had grown onto and attached itself to my bones. I'm sorry this is happening to you so soon after your first go round. Please remember, they found it early again and that is good. Have faith and you will get through this as well. I'll say a prayer for you. (((((hugs))))

Terry

mom62 said:

Cells
Hi,

There is no guarantee that chemo will ever kill all cancer cells. That's all it takes is one left behind to start growing again. I never did radiation either and had a recurrance in my bones five years later after five years of tamoxafin. Your doctor may have felt like she got it all and it may not have been visible if it was just a couple of cells left behind. The fact is cancer loves scar tissue. My second was wrapped around my scar tissue and had grown onto and attached itself to my bones. I'm sorry this is happening to you so soon after your first go round. Please remember, they found it early again and that is good. Have faith and you will get through this as well. I'll say a prayer for you. (((((hugs))))

Terry

Did you get in to see your
Did you get in to see your doctor yet? Sending prayers for you!


Hugs, Lex

Different Ballgame said:

Had 0 Stage DCIS - Mastectomies - Recurrence on scar
Extremely important that you write down all your questions when you see the doctors. Give the doctor one copy and you keep a copy, so you can check it off when question has been answered. If you don't have it, buy Dr. Susan Love's Breast Book, 5th Edition. If I had read the whole book, I would have then known that it is possible to have a recurrence on the scar. Make sure you know the growth rate of your cancer. That will tell you how fast you need to act. Most important, don't look backward about your cancer. Concentrate now on the course of action and what your options are.

First time around, I had two surgical biopsies in right breast where margins were not clear. I started with one speck of cancer - 0 Stage DCIS. I then decided to be extremely aggressive and opted to have both breasts removed. Lymph nodes were clear and breast showed no more cancer present when examined by pathologist. Great. No chemo. No radiation. No Arimidex.

Had immediate breast reconstruction which ended up taking 2 years to complete due to infection in both tissue expanders.

One year with implants and three years after mastectomies, cancer appeared on my surgical scar. I thought it was an irritation to the stitches. Diagnosed now with invasive carcinoma. General feeling by breast oncology surgeon was that it was still the same cancer, which biopsy proved. All tests...MRI, Bone Scan, Cat Scan...showed no cancer present anywhere else in my body. However, these tests cannot detect microscopic cancer, only a microscope can detect it.

Treatment plan now was a total of 33 days of radiation followed by Arimidex. I fired my first hematologist as she did not respond to me regarding the side effects to Arimidex. She told me flatly that my side effects were not side effects to Arimidex. The new doctor is fantastic, smart, and open minded.

I am fairly certain that you will now have radiation. Please read about radiation. I did not want my lymph nodes radiated and made sure that the doctor honored my request.

So you understand a mastectomy. A tiny portion of breast tissue is left directly behind your skin...it supports your skin.

My recurrence is extremely, extremely rare. One in a few million will have this happen to them. Lucky me!! I always look at the positive. The recurrence brought me to this site. I searched for more knowledge, which I share with everyone who has a need for it. I am a volunteer at Lynn Sage Breast Center and calm the women who come there for diagnostic testing. I helped develop sources of information for breast cancer women for my plastic surgeon's website. He asked me to help them. AND, I believe that I am going to live to my 90's.

My best wishes to you. Second time around is not easy, mentally. Please continue to post for support and knowledge. We are here for you.

Lots of Hugs,
Janelle

Just to let you know that I
Just to let you know that I and the other pink sisters are always here for you.


Hugs, Angie

fighting4five said:

Update
Thank you all for your thoughts and prayers... My pathology report shows Ductal Carcinoma in situ. My Doctors are all baffled by this.They sat it is not a recurrence but where it was left behind somehow.I was told that this is extremely rare. As I said in previous post I had a Bilateral mastectomy in June for IDC stage 2. My margins were clear and no lymph nodes involved.
It seems that somehow a duct was left during the mastectomy. Thank God that I did have reconstructive surgery to find this. I felt something after my mastectomy and my surgeon dismissed it as being a stitch then a few months ago I felt something larger and went back to her and she again dismissed it as being calcium deposits that come from abdomen and said it was nothing to be concerned over. I can not even explain how angry I am with her and my oncologist who told me that I did not need radiation because I had no breast tissue left and the surgeon agreed. I now have a new medical team and start radiation next week.

WOW. Did you have a skin
WOW. Did you have a skin sparing mastectomy or nipple sparing? I am truly truly sorry for this. If I were you, I would be contacting the head of the surgical department, the oncology department AND the head of the clinic that you went to. To tell you that you had no breast tissue left is also wrong unless you had the breast tissue taken out almost to your clavicle. I was told breast tissue goes up that far!I do hope the idiot knows that you had cancer! I am baffled as to how a milk duct got left behind? Thank goodness it was DCIS and not a later stage cancer!!

fighting4five said:

Update
Thank you all for your thoughts and prayers... My pathology report shows Ductal Carcinoma in situ. My Doctors are all baffled by this.They sat it is not a recurrence but where it was left behind somehow.I was told that this is extremely rare. As I said in previous post I had a Bilateral mastectomy in June for IDC stage 2. My margins were clear and no lymph nodes involved.
It seems that somehow a duct was left during the mastectomy. Thank God that I did have reconstructive surgery to find this. I felt something after my mastectomy and my surgeon dismissed it as being a stitch then a few months ago I felt something larger and went back to her and she again dismissed it as being calcium deposits that come from abdomen and said it was nothing to be concerned over. I can not even explain how angry I am with her and my oncologist who told me that I did not need radiation because I had no breast tissue left and the surgeon agreed. I now have a new medical team and start radiation next week.

I am so sorry about this.
I am so sorry about this. Did you have rads the first time? I know some sisters do after a mastectomy as a precaution and some don't.


I will be praying for you and thanks for letting us know that this can happen.


Take care,

Leeza