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Multifocal or multi centric breast cancer

deliaxoxo
deliaxoxo Member Posts: 1

I am awaiting surgery but I am expecting a multifocal or multi centric breast cancer diagnosis when I have surgery. There are three spots- the largest is 1.7 to 1.6 cm. I am writing because I would like to hear if you have dealt with a similar diagnosis.only the largest is confirmed. They originally told me that my nodes didn't appear enlarged or anything particular on MRI to indicate metastasis. Now I understand there is likelihood to have positive nodes if multifocal.I was having a hard time, now it is all just compounded. I thought i had lucked out because my tumor was not 2cm. Now i fear i may have a worse prognosis. I just want to be here for my family. I can't find too much information online about multifocal so I am turning here. Thank you all.



What are chances other spots are benign? And do the doctors already know? Can they tell by the MRI? delia

Comments

  • comingtoterms
    comingtoterms Member Posts: 52
    edited November 2012

    bump

  • jenn333
    jenn333 Member Posts: 23
    edited November 2012

    I was multifocal (5 tumors from 0.5mm - 2.1cm), all the same cancer, IDC grade 1. My oncologist said that it looks like it started as DCIS and just invaded in 5 separate places.  Very indolent tumors, low Ki67, low oncotype score.   No node involvement and no chemo.  I had UMX, radiation and am on tamoxifen.  I've never heard the suggestion that multifocal means node involvement.

    Hang in there.  You won't know your full picture until after post-surgery pathology but the biology of the tumors is much more important than how many there are.  What else do you know from the pathology that came back from your biopsy (ER, PR, HER2 status, grade, etc.)?

  • Blessings2011
    Blessings2011 Member Posts: 1,801
    edited November 2012

    I was multifocal. I had two areas of DCIS, with two areas of microinvasions of IDC.

    At BMX, all margins were clear, as were the three lymph nodes taken during Sentinel Node Biopsy.

    I did not need chemo or rads.

  • kyliet
    kyliet Member Posts: 587
    edited November 2012

    Deliaxoxo. I have posted before on these boards trying to get info on multi-focal with no luck. I hope you get some answers. 

    I had one satellite (multi-focal) 3/26 nodes with ECE. My tumour was Grade 1 so originally they said all good, easy treatment etc etc. I am IDC with no DCIS. Doctors seem to brush off the multi subject and say radiotherapy will get any others that may be lurking - multi didnt show on scans. 

    General consensus with my Drs is that as long as they get clear margins and you are treated as needed - in my case chemo and radio. the prognosis is no different from 1 tumour. Putting my trust in them.

  • Blessings2011
    Blessings2011 Member Posts: 1,801
    edited November 2012

    Forgot to add that after BMX, my risk of recurrance (local or distant mets) was 1% to 2%. I reduced that risk by 23% just by losing weight, and once I started taking the Aromatase Inhibitor (Anastrozole) I further reduced my risk another 50%. It's now at 0.33%.

  • wren44
    wren44 Member Posts: 7,922
    edited November 2012

    Mine was multifocal, with the second one found by accident. My onc didn't think that added to my risk. My nodes were clear. Since I had the umx, I didn't need radiation. Chemo was never in the picture. I'm on anastrasole now.

  • besa
    besa Member Posts: 289
    edited November 2012

    http://www.mskcc.org/cancer-care/adult/breast/prediction-tools

    Sloan kettering has a prediction tool that can be used to determine the chances of being node positive- of course these are just percentage odds not a crystal ball.   I had a 2.5 cm main tumor and was node negative, no chemo, mastectomy and reconstruction, no radiation, took tamoxifen.  (Oncotype dx test was done using tissue from the main tumor.)

  • lilithmoon
    lilithmoon Member Posts: 97
    edited January 2013

    I had multifocal (IDC and DCIS) but it wasn't until after my UniMx that I found out I also had LCIS and ADH all in the same breast.  My 3 sentinel nodes were negative.  My other breast was healthy - I had a hard time deciding whether or not to remove it.  I'll have it augmented for symmetry in 6 months and do the 6 month MRI's.  Hopefully they'll be able to detect an abnormality sufficiently early.  

  • Lydiaj96
    Lydiaj96 Member Posts: 14
    edited January 2013

    I too had multifocal tumours in both breasts. They had real difficulty finding them all with mammogram and MRI. Biopsy of what they found confirmed both benign and cancerous tumours. Due to allergies I couldn't get a sentinel node biopsy but had multiple lymph nodes removed on both sides. They were all clear! Good luck with yours

  • lilithmoon
    lilithmoon Member Posts: 97
    edited January 2013

    I also had benign fibrocystic changes in the same breast, confirmed after two biopsies - and in the same quadrant as the IDC with stuff in between that they weren't sure about.  That's why I did the Mx.  The two tumors were right next to eachother.

  • My-Lan28
    My-Lan28 Member Posts: 6
    edited May 2021

    Hi Ladies

    I am new in this forum. I was diagnosed Breast Cancer on August, 2020 , I had cancer with 2 stages on both of my breast. My left breast had stage0 DCIS 5cm (grade 3) and beside it there were stage 1B IDC with multi focal tumors ( grade 2) of 1.7cm , 0.8cm, 0.3cm, 0.2cm, 0.2cm. My right breast again I had stage0 DCIS 0.8cm ( grade 2) and stage1A IDC 0.9cm (grade 2). No lymph nodes involved.

    I done all my treatments included of Bilateral Mastectomy, 4 chemos, 15 radiation and taking Tamoxifen. Right after my surgery my oncologist send my breast cancer sample to USA to get mamma print to see i am benefit from chemo. When the result come back with 19% risk of recurrence but I took chemos, radiation and Tamoxifen, it will bring down to 7% of risk of recurrence. I am very scare, I had 2 young kids 7 and 13. I am 46 this year. Anyone long term BC survivors whom had the same condition like my case , please contact me, give me some hope, support for this journey.

      • My-Lan28
        My-Lan28 Member Posts: 6
        edited May 2021

        Hi Ladies

        I am new in this forum. I was diagnosed Breast Cancer on August, 2020 , I had cancer with 2 stages on both of my breast. My left breast had stage0 DCIS 5cm (grade 3) and beside it there were stage 1B IDC with multi focal tumors ( grade 2) of 1.7cm , 0.8cm, 0.3cm, 0.2cm, 0.2cm. My right breast again I had stage0 DCIS 0.8cm ( grade 2) and stage1A IDC 0.9cm (grade 2). No lymph nodes involved.

        I done all my treatments included of Bilateral Mastectomy, 4 chemos, 15 radiation and taking Tamoxifen. Right after my surgery my oncologist send my breast cancer sample to USA to get mamma print to see i am benefit from chemo. When the result come back with 19% risk of recurrence but I took chemos, radiation and Tamoxifen, it will bring down to 7% of risk of recurrence. I am very scare, I had 2 young kids 7 and 13. I am 46 this year. Anyone long term BC survivors whom had the same condition like my case , please contact me, give me some hope, support for this journey.