Invasive breast cancer: What's next?

I'm happy you went with Dana Farber for a second opinion. While I feel in very good hands, my oncologist is crazy busy and I saw a NP for 3 month appt to review Letrozole. No mammo for a year (in Oct my regular mammo month). Since my ILC was hidden behind a large dense breast with a large benign cyst I feel very lucky! Although I do think it may have been caught earlier had I heeded MA required Density Letter and asked for supplemental scans over the years. My gyno did request a MRI 10 years ago which looked good but again I think another MRI would have been helpful over the last 10 yrs. Why so stingy with MRI for even dense breasts. The NP said MRI only offered at 1 year if I had the BRAC gene which fortunately I do not. I will ask in Oct. if I can have a survivorship plan which includes an annual MRI. I'll keep you posted and just wondering if you could shar your surveillance plan with your 3c stage ILC. xoxo

I took Anastrozole fir nearly 2 years and it’s managed to cause untold problems with my back. Had mri and, thankfully, no secondary cancer. No arthritis either - just normal wear and tear for a 71 year old woman. I’ve had to fight to b changed off of it and have now been on exemestane for 11 days. It will take at least 4-6 weeks , probably more lije 4-6 months, to see if this med suits me better. If it doesn’t, then I’m going to stop taking it and any other hormone meds. I used to b able to walk 20-30 kilometres a week. Now I’m lucky to do 10 cis of my back and I’ve had to force myself to go out an walk. X

This is an old thread....I was dx with High Grade DCIS HR+ back in March 2024. I've been taking my time to research before making a decision. I was told I would need poisonous radiation and carcinogenic Tamoxifen. NOPE! Big Pharma might influence doctors, but not me. I will have surgery to remove the GRADE 0, PRE cancer and I will make lifestyle changes.

Hello! If you don’t mind can you share your research also?

I have DCiS stage 0 ER+ diagnosed in May. Will be having my lumpectomy tomorrow July 11.

Since I am ER+ the drs said most likely I will be taking Tamoxifen. Which I honestly still am not inclined to and been doing my research.

I’ve been eating much more whole foods changing diet and doing more exercise. I know it’s probably not enough, but it’s a step.

I have read every abstract I can get my hands on. I also read "Chris Beats Cancer" which REALLY opened my eyes! Another book by Dr Susan Love, called Dr Susan Love's Breast book. Both book s are incredibly full of information and research.
My Prelude DCISion test recommends radiation. Dr also recommended Tamoxifen. I am just not comfortable with that. Not when I can make changes in my body by making healthy lifestyle changes.

Hi @meeshodge ,

Great recommendations, but I do want to point out that if someone is searching "invasive breast cancer" our recent conversations would be the first part of this thread that they would see.

I have made many wonderful dietary changes since my diagnosis, have cut out sugar, eat only organic food, no red meat, no alcohol, and I've never felt better.

However, I did have a very invasive breast cancer that went from stage 2 to stage 3C in 6 weeks between initial ultrasound and beginning treatment.

In those 6 weeks the cancer spread from just the three tumors to my lymph nodes, to my chest wall, and into my skin. I was 38 years old, negative for the genes, cancer negative for all hormones (TNBC).

If not for chemotherapy, surgery, radiation, immunotherapy, I would not be alive today.

There's so much we can do to heal ourselves, but sometimes we have rapid diseases that need extra tools, and I don't want anyone who has something like that to not consider some traditional measures, along with the great ways we can heal ourselves.

Oh, and fasting and exercising! Cannot recommend enough during treatment, and now, a nightly fast between dinner and breakfast.

Take care everyone!

My Oncology PT recommended "Moving Through Cancer: An Exercise and Strength-Training Program for the Fight of Your Life - Empowers Patients and Caregivers in 5 Steps
by Kathryn Schmitz".

I understand. I am going through exactly what you are now.
I had it removed.
Stage 0 turned into stage 1, in 1 month.
The core biopsy was wrong.
After I had the excision the biopsy confirmed DCIS stage 1.
I will go with standard radiation.
Why..because if it did come back. It would be hard for radiation on scar tissue.
God Bless

Me too exact same. Finished 5days of hypofractionated XRT I year ago. Tried Anastrozole for 2 months, decided I do not want to live with those side effects including increasing cholesterol and osteoporosis. So die of heart disease and broken bones oh and there are more drugs for that… I agree big pharma can do better.