Invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC): Anyone else?

The OncotypeDX is done on tumor tissue that is most commonly removed during whatever surgery is done to remove the tumor. That's the safest way to remove enough tissue (from the excised cancer mass) to ensure a significant amount of representative cancer cells.

It 'can' be done on tissue sample removed by needle biopsy but there's a far greater chance of not obtaining sufficient and 'representative' tissue according to the Oncotype science guy I asked for a friend once.

Zero negative lymph nodes does not preclude having the OncotypeDX genomics testing. I had a clean sentinel lymph node biopsy and had the test. A friend with a Stage 1 tumor and clean (negative for cancer cells) sentinel lymph node biopsy had the test as well.

According to a scientist at Exact Sciences (provider of the OncotypeDX), approximately 15% of the OncotypeDX results yield a 'risk of recurrence within 9 years' of 3% or lower (if taking anti-hormone therapy). The overwhelming majority of those low-risk clients also had clean lymph(s) but not all. The person I spoke with didn't have the exact breakdown but had an impression that maybe as high as 75-80% of the low risk results corresponded to clients who also had clean sentinel (or other) lymph node biopsies.

I had the OncotypeDX for a Stage 1A tumor with a clean sentinel lymph node biopsy. Allowing the sentinel lymph node biopsy (which I was first disinclined to have), and the OncotypeDX, were the two best decisions I made when first faced with a bad mammogram, ultrasound and vacuum-assisted-wide-needle biopsy that showed cancer.

Those two tests were reassuring about likely recurrence risk, as were some of the online algorithms and consults with a few oncologists, and were the foundation upon which I made subsequent decisions. So I encourage anyone dealing with breast cancer to explore any tests that might provide useful data. None of this stuff is perfect but if all the data combined helps provide a defensible picture of the overall whole situation, as mine did, it helps a lot. And any statistical outliers can trigger further evaluation of a prognosis or treatment plan and that's also valuable.

I am still waiting for my Oncotype DX test. Surgery was on November 14th.

I would call the company. Or your doctor. You might also check your portal. But calling the company worked for me.

Oncotype DX tests are produced by Genomic Health, Inc., which is now part of the company Exact Sciences.

Hope this works:

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Invasive ductal carcinoma
Limph node clear.mass is 6 mm.genetic test is negative

Welcome @nana3131. It looks like you have just been told that you have invasive ductal carcinoma. I moved your message to this exisiting discussion to connect you with other members who have the same diagnosis:

- Invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC) anyone else. https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/invasive-duct-ca/

Nana, have you met with the cancer team to discuss treatment options? Will you have surgery?

@nana3131. That sounds like a pretty small tumor. I assume you have had surgery? You should have more information (grade, ER an PR, HER2) from pathology after surgery and in a few weeks, most likely the results of a test called the Oncotype, which will guide your treatment. Best wishes!

Hi
I had lumpectomy. Now waiting for radiation and hormonal therapy

Hi I’m so glad I found you guys .. I was just told that I had Ductal incinoma and I felt so alone and lost 😞 my daughter and I Goggled this and I’m still trying to process this information. So I’ll be meeting with the surgeon 01/15/2023 and I presume that we will go over plan of treatment what stage… but the reason I responded to your comment because of the type of treatment you decided to take which is the one I’m leaning towards if this is an option for me .. I pray for you as well as all the ladies on this site.