Can a biopsy needle turn a DCIS into invasive cancer?

Did you have radiation to the area? I did, which was supposed to neutralize any wayward cancer cells...but obviously it did not! I've been told this local return is rare. I hope all goes well for you, what are they recommending in your case? I had mastectomy a year ago and I hope nothing ever comes back anywhere!

reply to cashemire... I did not have radiation following a lumpectomy and removal of eight non-cancerous lymph nodes ("policy"--never discussed with me), plus a second deep surgery to remove tissue near my heart to achieve clear margins. It takes months (yes months) to meet with the one surgeon or the NP, so I am in limbo awaiting mastectomy and node removal following biopsies. I did have a second opinion (different hospital; different state), and that surgeon said it's hospital polity to remove the entire breast and all lymph nodes, although they are non cancerous. Cancer patients are definitely statistics and not human beings.

Your frustration is something most of us experience but while you’re in good company, I’m sorry. I had a double mastectomy in December and was shocked and frustrated at how long it took to schedule all the appointments and surgery. I was concerned, as I suspect you are, that the cancer was growing while the medical folks dawdled. Fortunately, it didn’t grow. And I’ve realized that there are just so many of us (women with cancer) that the medical folks are doing the best they can. I think and hope the experience you’re having feels more personal soon. But the waiting is hard! I was fearful on so many levels, not least about pain. But it all went well and there hasn’t been unmanageable pain at all. Hang in there. Do whatever you do to comfort yourself and know that you will come into focus for medical folks in your turn soon.

reply to @wpglea With my recurrence in scar area I was told no option but to remove entire breast and if they didn't find a 'sentinel node' all lymph nodes would be removed, and in fact, that was what happened. I'm surprised you weren't offered radiation; my radiologist told me was the most important post lumpectomy procedure in preventing recurrence (again, did not prevent in my case!), and that the AI would offer smaller percentage further protection (which I opted not to take, but now am...). I commiserate with you about the wait times...I had to pester a bit to make sure my 2nd surgery was done within 1 month timeframe after diagnosis. I recently read that post Covid is still delaying surgeries here in Canada.

Hello,
This was after lumpectomy surgery for dcis?
Had you gotten radiation after the surgery?

I had DCIS Cancer Dx in Feb of this year. Due to being #5 female in my family with breast cancer I chose to have bilateral mastectomy. Although they didn't find anything in biopsy or mamo with Contrast that was invasive, they did find a Speck the size of a dot on an I outside of the duct when they did surgery. Fortunately, the Sentinel lymph node was negative so they said no way it had spread anywhere else. I was Stage 0 so they caught it really early. My understanding is that a biopsy can cause the cancer to spread. I did strict Vegan diet before my surgery and after. Recommend reading Chris Wark book, Chris Beat Cancer and also his Beat Cancer Kitchen Cookbook. I still follow it.