Quick update on recurrence w DCIS

seeknpeace
seeknpeace Member Posts: 259
edited March 2014 in Breast Cancer #1
Saw the surgeon yesterday. He looked at the mammo and the MRI film and he feels that there may be a place deeper in as well as the calcifications. He can see that the calcifications could be attributible to the fat necrosis of my mastectomy scar but he also did my bilat mastectomy and knows my history.

So, he sent my film to another radiologist for review. The first rated it a BIRAD 3, with 1 being no cancer and five being for sure cancer. So, I am anxious to see what the second opinion will be.

I have insisted on a PET scan as from what I have read, a recurrence is almost always accompanied by a distant metastases. Well, if there is another cancer a ft. away that was out of the film's scope, that would be tragic to miss it. If an organ is under attack and we do nothing about it, so would that. If I have cancer in such a way as to be terminal, then why bother with this recurrence here. So, I just told them it made no sense to me to operate there without a pet scan first to at least try to find more. I know it misses small cancers and some types but it is what we have to work with.

I am very upset. Surgery 4-11. Keep your fingers crossed.

Jan

Comments

  • Unknown
    Unknown
    #2
    Jan, I will be praying for you and hoping for the best outcome possible. Have you asked about an MRI?
  • ladybluepgh
    ladybluepgh Member Posts: 76
    #3
    I'm praying that all turns out ok for you...take care..keeping you in my thoughts.
  • survivor51
    survivor51 Member Posts: 276
    #4
    Jan, I think you have become very proactive and much research. I'm glad you are insisting on a Pet Scan. Please keep us up to date. My prayers are with you. Angela
  • Cindy54
    Cindy54 Member Posts: 452
    #5
    Jan..So glad that you have done your research and stood firm with your wanting a PET scan. I hope your outcome is only the best. Please keep us posted. Sending your a prayer that all goes well. Cindy
  • seeknpeace
    seeknpeace Member Posts: 259
    #6
    unknown said:

    Jan, I will be praying for you and hoping for the best outcome possible. Have you asked about an MRI?

    Hi. I have already had an MRI and mammo. The mammo found the microcalcifications so then came the MRI, but the MRI had been ordered as a regular course of action anyway. The second opinion from a radiologist is on the MRI report.
    Thanks for suggesting it though. The PET is like nuclear sugar that is injected and then it uptakes in cancer. So, if any other cancer exists, including what we are dealing with now, and is not really small and is not one of the ones that PET misses, they will get a better view. Hence, they will know more about what they have to deal with on this biopsy and if there is more to handle.
  • seeknpeace
    seeknpeace Member Posts: 259
    #7
    Cindy54 said:

    Jan..So glad that you have done your research and stood firm with your wanting a PET scan. I hope your outcome is only the best. Please keep us posted. Sending your a prayer that all goes well. Cindy

    Thank you all for your kind words, prayers and thoughts. I guess that when I had to fight for my first biopsy back in 2004, and it was cancer, I knew that I had to be more proactive with my health care.

    My oncologist had told me, after they found the microcals in the mammo last week, that if it was cancer she would order the PET. But, that was also when they were planning to do a stereotatic biopsy. Totally different than a lumpectomy.

    So, when that changed, my thoughts on the purpose of the PET changed. It needed to be done before. Waiting until after could cause me to possibly have multiple surgeries that I could miss. Or maybe have a surgery that I did not need. So, I had to state my case and feelings on this.

    Sometimes the medical professionals amaze me. My neurologist's asst. called me after I called her, to tell me that they had an appt. sched. in Apr. I go every 6 mos. They are supposed to contact me. I should have gone in Mar. I had already left a message with no reply. But, evidently, someone did make the appt, just did not tell me. But, no one ordered the MRI. I told her that would be a fruitless visit when she said we would do one afterward. I have a possible tumor in my midbrain that can only be diagnosed by repeated MRIs to see if it grows, plus how in the world will my doctor be able to see how my MS is progressing if there is no MRI? So, two Dr. appts and two copays? I don't think so. With clenched teeth, she agreed to try and sched. one. and called me back in ten mins. with one. They confound me.

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