DCIS diagnosis today

You've got this!!it will be all a lot to process at the begining but once you have your treatment plan it will get easier as you will roughly know what to expect.i found the chemo tough at times but it is doable.was way less side effect than I thought would be

Hi Oceangal 

First of all welcome to the community which you would rather not be part of.  

As you've just been diagnosed, the first thing to do is breathe.  In actual fact you will find that it's not as bad as you've been imagining, I am sure.

Chemotherapy is generally not used for DCIS as it's not yet turned into cancer, so that is one bit of good news, I hope, for you.

Depending on the amount of DCIS is whether you'll have a lumpectomy; and hopefully this is the case for you, but your surgeon will tell you what they think is achievable. 

I had cancer and DCIS and had lumpectomy of 80mm (it depends on the size of your breast as they take 1cm around to get clear magins). I don't have any advice re a mastectomy, but after a lumpectomy you will also have radiotherapy.  This is, I can guarantee, a LOT easier than chemotherapy. I was worried about side effects - as they list them all - and I was left sided, so they talk about heart damage etc. BUT I am nearly 8 years post diagnosis and, having 5 years on oestrogen suppressant tablets, I have had no side effects whatsoever.  The only thing I find is that the radiotherapy caused tenderness in that breast, so sometimes it hurts if I roll over in bed on it.   I was able to drive the 60 miles (there and back) for the 15 sessions of radiotherapy I had with no fatigue - drink, drink, drink with radiotherapy helps prevent fatigue.

Just take each step at a time and just run with what your consultant advises and you will find that it's a lot more doable than you ever imagined.  I was worried about every step, but each step was a LOT easier than I ever feared it would be.

Kindest wishes, Lesley

thank you Lesley. I’m going for another biopsy on Friday. The consultant said that the area is a total of 60mm plus 10mm each side at present. He is checking to see if the other areas are precancerous too and then to make decision of take out lower side of breast and even the other one up or full mastectomy. It helps having others to chat to xxx

Hi I was diagnosed with DCIS on 6th May I had 2 areas around 3cm each. I was offered a MICAP reconstruction which I had 2 weeks ago today. Everything will seem daunting at the moment but my Consultant told me it’s totally curable so I’m holding onto that.