i have stage 0 DCIS ERPR+2 lumpectomies and 19 radiation and 6 high radiation treatments. Now on tamoxifen. blood work looked good and i am just a little fearful since the oncologist said it was a precursor for more cancer where ?? when ?? she couldn't say .....Is this true ?
Yes it’s true. If it goes untreated and not removed. In your case it was removed and is being treated so don’t panic. But when you have remaining breast tissue (when you didn’t have a mastectomy), there is indeed a chance it can come back in this tissue. Mammograms also don’t always pick up DCIS so you might want to ask for ultrasound and MRI (that’s the best one) in addition to the mammograms. You have time though and it’s not always that it will come back. I believe there are some stats online if you look. But you need to be careful and follow up thoroughly on a regular basis.
The hope is that all the cancer was killed and removed through surgery and radiation. The tamoxifen suppresses estrogen production since breast cancer feeds on estrogen.
Hope everything went well with your imaging today! Hugs!
I was diagnosed with DCIS in May 2022. I was also on Tamoxifen. I also had breast conserving surgery. I went through 20 rounds of radiation. After 15 months on Tamoxifen, I was unable to continue with it due to severe psychological and cognitive side effects. I am now 2.5 years NED. I am not taking any hormone suppressing medication. According to current research, I fall into the category of women who have a 98% of not having a recurrence within five years. If I get another bc after five years, it is considered a new cancer.
It's understandable to feel anxious. DCIS (stage 0 breast cancer) is noninvasive, meaning it hasn't spread beyond the milk ducts. While it is highly treatable, untreated DCIS can sometimes become invasive breast cancer. Your treatments, including lumpectomies, radiation, and tamoxifen, significantly reduce the risk of Show Full Answer