Topic: Just joined your club

Hi all,

I'm sorry to say that I've just joined your club, and maybe even another club (IDC), although you do seem like a lovely and smart and supportive bunch, so if that's the club I'm in, things could be worse.

 I'm still in the don't-know-nearly-enough stage. Caught in mammogram, biopsy of left breast last week, MRI Thursday, meeting the BC surgeon Friday, expected second biopsy soon. 51 years old, had some calcification since first mammo at 41.

First phone call from radiologist just said DCIS, and I was too ignorant to know a damn thing to ask. Did my homework, learned about DCIS, and gradually calmed down and mentally prepared for lumpectomy and radiation. I do remember her saying my lymph nodes were clear, but I don't understand how they could know that from a needle-core biopsy?

Then last night my internist called and sent me the biopsy report. It says Ductal Carcinoma In Situ, grade 3, solid type with comedo necrosis and intraluminal microcalcifications, present at biopsy margins.

PLUS "highly suspiciious for invasive ductal carcinoma."

I know enough to know that this is a lot scarier than cribiform DCIS alone.

Has anyone had both? If IDC is small and caught early, do you think I might be spared chemo? I'm wrapping my brain around mastectomy but obviously pretty freaked out. How would they know it's not in my lymph nodes this early?

 Obviously I'll learn a lot after the MRI and meeting with the surgeon. Just happy to have found you all and hoping for a little input. Not knowing enough is torture.

thank you