High grade dcsi biopsy results

Hello Bobbo,  I had read your post earlier but waited to respond  until you had results.  DCIS is Stage 0 cancer and is the earliest stage so that is good.   DCIS is not invasive cancer and there are 3 grades: low, intermediate and high grade.  I believe mastectomy was recommended due to your wife’s age and the size of the DCIS.  If mastectomy is recommended ask about a nipple sparing one.  Sometimes they can do it and other times no depending on tumor location.  DCIS is often fueled by estrogen.  
I am an older woman ( oops I mean vintage) of 73 and had low and intermediate DCIS in right breast and for a real boobie prize I had stage 1 invasive in the left. Happened when I was 72.    Two lumpectomy ops later and radiation and feeling good.  The emotional toll on me was the most difficult and I can only imagine how your wife is feeling.  Overwhelming and scared for sure.  At my age I was hoping that I would be stronger but I was in fight or flight mode for awhile.  DCIS is often picked up on mammogram as micro calcification or calcifications.  I have sent you a lengthy article but you need all the legitimate information you can get so you can ask questions and feel that you are making the right decision with your wife.  Please give her a big hug and kiss for me .here is the link.

https://amp.cancer.org/treatment/understanding-your-diagnosis/tests/understanding-your-pathology-report/breast-pathology/ductal-carcinoma-in-situ.html

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7139619/#:~:text=The%20standard%20treatment%20of%20DCIS,recurrences%20are%20invasive%20%5B26%5D.

Barbara

Hi Bobbo

Sorry to hear that your wife has high grade dcis and that she needs a mastectomy. Because her dcis is high grade there is a possibility that it will turn cancerous but doesn’t mean that it will. Many women get dcis but it doesn’t always turn into cancer.  Invasive cancer is usually picked up on a biopsy.

Wishing your wife the best of luck with her operation

Best wishes to you both.

Daisy53

In May 2015 age 51 I was recalled from my first rountine screening mammogram for 2 areas of calcification (10mm & 5mm).   I was diagnosed with DCIS in the 10mm area only.  The smaller area was benign.  I had a WLE (lumpectomy)  in July and 15 sessions of radiotherapy in September.  I was warned before surgery there might be invasive cells and diagnosis could change but 11mm high grade DCIS was final diagnosis after surgery.  Mine was not fuelled by hormones so after radiotherapy I was on annual mammograms for the next 5 years - now back to 3 year screening.  Breast. Calcifications look like tiny third dots on mammogram but they use their training identifying what looks suspicious- usually clustering .  I have had other area of calcifications that have been unchanged for 6 years.

It’s good you’ve got some answers. As I understand it, some low grade DCIS can be left and just monitored, but sounds like they need to act now on your wife to avoid any further “damage”. Although, you should take heart from the fact that it’s probably quite positive news in the great scheme of things! She’ll have surgery and treatment appropriate to her diagnosis (which you’ll both get through), and she’ll be fine, albeit with a mastectomy. Even though it seems drastic, it’s so worth it; also she’ll be able to have a reconstruction if she wants one, reconstruction is available years after if you don’t want it at the time of surgery (I wasn’t able to have one during surgery as mine had invaded my pectoral muscle, which they excised successfully), but I can have one now if I want, I don’t! Try to concentrate on the positives, she’s going to be fine, just know that and this will soon be a distant memory. xxx