Recently got diagnosed with DCIS at 24 years old
Hi everyone, I’m really glad I came across this space.
I’m 24 years old and was recently diagnosed with low-grade ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS), estrogen-positive. It started when I noticed a lump in my left breast, which I honestly didn’t think much of at first. I think I was influenced by people around me—some of my friends also had breast lumps that turned out to be benign, like fibroadenomas.
In February 2026, I developed painless nipple discharge, which prompted me to finally get checked. I was told it was due to a papilloma in the milk ducts that had become inflamed. I had the papilloma and affected duct removed, and the tissue was biopsied. That’s when I received the DCIS diagnosis. I also sought a second opinion, and it confirmed the same result.
I was initially advised to undergo a skin-sparing mastectomy on my left breast, followed by radiation and hormone therapy. However, after a lot of thought, I decided to take a more aggressive route for my own peace of mind. I chose to have a bilateral skin-sparing mastectomy with implant reconstruction. Flap surgery wasn’t an option for me due to not having enough fat ( 150 cm, 44kg), and it would have required multiple surgical sites, increasing my risk for complications.
I know this is a major decision that will affect not just my appearance but many aspects of my life. Being diagnosed at a young age also means I have a higher risk of recurrence, which heavily influenced my choice. I don’t want to live in constant fear, even though I understand there are still risks no matter what.
I’ve been trying to find others who were diagnosed this young (under 25), but there aren’t many stories out there. That’s why I wanted to share mine here. My surgery date is nearer, and I have been having anxiety about this whole thing.
If you’ve gone through something similar, I’d really appreciate hearing from you. How are you doing, and what treatment path did you choose?
Thank you
Comments
-
Hi @chlbll,
We are so sorry for the worries that have led you to these forums, but we're glad that you've found us, and we appreciate you sharing your story. We hope others with similar stories will chime in here with their experiences, but some questions to keep in mind as you're planning your next steps are:
- is your DCIS hormone-receptor-positive? HER2- positive or negative? Knowing this can provide some insight on your risk level, and whether you may benefit from hormonal therapy or targeted treatment.
- is there any family history of breast cancer?
- have you had any genetic testing done? Having some answers as to your personal genetic risk will also help determine treatment decisions.
Let us know if you have any questions, we're here to help.
0 -
Hi @chlbll -
I'm not in the younger age group that you are looking for, but thought I would respond anyway as you haven't received responses. Welcome to the forum. Sorry that you have had to join us, but very glad you found us.
I was 47 with my 1st dx and that seemed young to me at the time. I think some of it is better diagnostic techniques as they told me the DCIS they were seeing was very widespread and they thought it had been there several years.
It sounds like you are educating yourself about this disease which is good so that you will understand more what is happening. It's a lot to digest, especially in the early days, so it is very normal to feel anxious. The good news is that it sounds like it was caught early which is so important.
Surgery and recon is a big deal, but you WILL get through it. Just take it one step at a time.
Hopefully, bumping this up will get you more responses from younger people.
Take Care.
1
