I was diagnosed with this and was told it was totally removed. Now the problem i'm having is whether to have radiation and tamoxifen treatments for that particular breast, or have bi-lateral mastectomy.
You see my mothers three sisters have been diagnosed with breast cancer. One is no longer living. One had bi-lateral mastectomy without reconstruction, one only had radiation treatments.
My first cousin on my mothers side was diagnosed just before me with breast cancer, and is now undergoing chemotherapy and radiation. Obviously hers was invasive.
Mine was very small when it was found , only about 2cm. It had not spread.
But as you can see with my family history, i am at a crossroads in my life. I do not know which way to go, and really there is no one to tell me. I was wondering if anyone may have known of anyone with this or know more about it on a personal level. I have had consults with some of the top doctors here in Rhode Island. Oncologists, plastic surgeons, radiologists, genetic counseling, along with just long talks with my primary doctor on the subject. I am also about to have my ovaries removed to prevent further estrogen release. My doctor agrees that estrogen does in fact cause cancer, and with my family history,(and since I've already had a hystorectomy) I may as well have it done.
My surgeon also agrees, and my gynocologist basically is just doing what I want as he was not the one to find the cancer ,,but rather my surgeon who i was sent to by my primary doctor, because I had found a cyst and the mammogram was totally fine, only under ultrasound did the cyst show and then I found out there were two..i called my pcp and he got me into the surgeon right away..he told me that my cysts were nothing to worry about , but during a breast exam found a thickining in the opposit breast.
He sent me for an ultrasound of that area and I was told they were only cysts and nothing to worry about..I insisted on having them out..and there among the cysts was this ductal carcenomo in-situ.
I am 39 years old and my aunt who passed on was 38 when she first found hers. At that time mastectomy was the only ulturnative and she then had reconstruction. About 5 years later it reoccured in the other breast. She then had radiation and a lumpectomy. About 4 years later it returned again. She then had her second mastectomy. Then about 2 years later her stomach began to bloat up and they found that she had spots on her liver. Cancer. They then started the chemo treatments...a bit later on they decided that estrogen was a major factor in her cancer reoccurance, so t hey gave her a hystorectomy and took her tubes and ovaries as well..by then it was too late..
I am so confused. I dont want to have to worry about this every day of my life. Everytime i feel a pain i do a breast exam and thought i found another cyst..the ultrasound didnt show one..I am going crazy and I do take antidepressants now..I dare to think what i will need to do later on..I have no one to give me specific answers and the only one I feel I could talk to about this is gone.
I would appreciate any information that anyone may have..
thank you