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Harvey1903's avatar
Harvey1903
Member
7 years ago

Decision to make Invasive DCIS

Hi - I had my first excision 10th May which resulted in 16mm Invasive DCIS ER+ PR+ HER2-.  No clear margins.
Second excision 24th May which resulted in 10mm invasive DCIS and a 6mm Tumor (whats the difference?) No clear margins.

Three weeks later - yesterday I had an MRI as I thought they didn't know the second DCIS was there so lets have a proper look.

Firstly I was told I would have the excision and then to radiotherapy and hormone treatment.  After the second excision I was just really told what I had and given a booklet 'Breast Prostheses and Reconstruction' nothing else.  I am going tomorrow to see the BS with a copy of my MRI and a decision will have to be made.

My question is: (if anyone has any ideas)  I would like to have a bilateral mastectomy with skin sparing DIEP flap reconstruction.  (After a lot of reading and googling:)  However if they throw at me radiation and/or chemo - should that come before reconstruction or after or not at all.  I just haven't got my head around this bit.

Thanks   Julie.

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  • Harvey1903's avatar
    Harvey1903
    Member
    7 years ago
    LOL I googled it and then picked myself up of the floor and thought what I could buy with that.  Only kidding.  J
  • kmakm's avatar
    kmakm
    Member
    7 years ago
    Brace yourself @Harvey1903, it's hideously expensive. Mine was $2998. We paid and then my dear father gave us the money.
  • Harvey1903's avatar
    Harvey1903
    Member
    7 years ago
    Thanks Kate - no family history but will ask about the oncotype(?)  need to google that.   :)
  • kmakm's avatar
    kmakm
    Member
    7 years ago
    Hi Julie. I had a double mastectomy with skin sparing DIEP reconstruction. I did not have radiation. Nothing left to radiate with all breast tissue removed. I asked my BS if there were circumstances where you would still have radiation. He said yes but very unusual & rare. Ask your BS tomorrow. I'd be interested to see what he/she says.

    I had a 16mm invasive ductal carcinoma, nodes clear & two excisions as well. I then paid for the oncotype test to see whether chemo would be curative if there were some random cancer cells looking for somewhere to make a new home. It came back positive so I had chemo and then the op six weeks after chemo finished. I did the test because of my family history (my mother had it at my age & survived, my sister had it and died). Otherwise it would have been straight on to radiation. Whether you have chemo before or after recon depends on your specific diagnosis but recons are usually after chemo.

    Whatever you decide and do, at the end of it all, as your cancer was hormone positive, you'll be advised to take a hormone inhibitor, Tamoxifen or an aromatase inhibitor, depending on your menopause status.

    Clear as mud?! Keep asking me questions, PM if you like. Our cases are quite similar. And don't leave the doctor's office tomorrow until you've asked and had answered all your questions! Hang in there, K xox