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Diagnosed with DCIS: How do I decide on treatment?
Breast Cancer | Last Active: Mar 20 10:00am | Replies (345)Comment receiving replies
Hi all. About a week after the surgery, my very swollen right breast started bleeding and has been bleeding ever since. I saw the surgeon last week and he thought it was great (of course the boob didn’t bleed much at all during the exam with me lying on my back). He told me to keep doing what I was doing (changing the dressings and wrapping my breast in a sanitary napkins). He said it was good the old brown blood was draining out.
Of course that night (or the next night) when I went to change the dressing, it was like a flood. There was a puddle of blood on the floor! I talked myself out of fainting and kept applying pressure until the flow slowed down enough for me to pile on the gauze and sanitary napkins. Since then, the amount of blood is much less but it’s not done.
Dealing with these bleeding incisions is one thing but having to mop up the mess and continually hand wash bloody bras and tops is exhausting (and I want to send the surgeon a bill for my time!)
Anyway, I saw the oncologist last week, as well, and immediately he starts talking about radiation and Aromasin.
My head started spinning. He said that my Estrogen Receptor was a strong positive and that he was going to do genetic testing.
*The paperwork I received said, “Estrogen Receptor - Positive - 99%” and “Progesterone Receptor - Low Positive - 7%”
*Then today I received a test result that said, “Cancer Antigen 27.29 Details:
Your Value is 28.1”
Sorry, I’m new at this. Can someone please translate?
Replies to "Hi all. About a week after the surgery, my very swollen right breast started bleeding and..."
Your oncologist (or someone else like if you prefer the surgeon) should be the coordinator of your care and should explain it to you. Make an appointment to go over it all and bring a friend or family member with you to take notes.
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Good morning. I saw this conversation and thought I'd try to inject what little knowledge I have gained being a stage 4 Invasive Ductal Carcinoma patient. My cancer was diagnosed after it had already spread to my bones/lungs/skin 3 1/2 yrs. ago. I never had radiation as early-stage do, in order to catch any residual cells that might have remained after surgery. I am, and have been on since day 1, an estrogen blocker due to E+ cancer which feeds off the estrogen in our bodies. They put early stage on the blockers to reduce the chance of a recurrence. I know most AI's (aromatase inhibitors/estrogen blockers) cause joint pains. For me it was about 7 months of aching here and there before it started to let up and I no longer notice them. Of course i have cancer in my bones so they ache separately at times. I can't recommend a txt to you but I believe it's worth trying to see if the side-effects are manageable. If not, there are other AI's that can be tried. Not every one will cause the same effects in everyone and some may be minor
On the Cancer Antigen test, that tests the cancer burden and your oncologist may have done it to have what we call a "baseline number". You are well within the normal range currently but they can watch, if you begin treatment, to see if the numbers go up or down to determine if a txt is working. I hope this helps. Glad to answer any other questions you might have.
Peggie