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Invasive gone, DCIS remains after re-excision. MRI wait time?

Posted by billiemoore @billiemoore, 1 day ago

I had stage 2 IDC with 1 lymph node involvement. After 1st lumpectomy, path came back invasive gone but DCIS in margins. After re-excision, path came back with DCIS remaining in margins. My initial surgeon recommended mastectomy. Since that is my last resort, asked about MRI to see extent and make sure I’m making the right decision.

I got everything else besides MRI previously bc I have terrible claustrophobia and we were chasing IDC spread so had CT, petscan, etc.

He recommended waiting 90 days to avoid false positives from lumpectomy surgeries. I have been waiting and in meantime, went to U of M for 2nd opinion. They reread slides and got more detail on margins-smaller areas than before by MidMich. That new surgeon wants me to get MRI sooner bc we postponed radiation on lymph node area and she wants to see extent before recommending 2nd re-excision vs mastectomy. Concerned about false positives—about 2 months out from last surgery.

Anyone else get MRI post surgery and how long did they recommend you wait?

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worried1111 | @worried1111 | 14 hours ago

I had a mastectomy. Two weeks later a lump on chest wall. Confirmed cancer. Chemo to shrink. Then a lumpectomy. The MRI said it was gone. They went in again based on MRI. Another 3.5 cm of cancer. Now 3 bad margins. The surgeon rationalized it could be “false positive margins” and go to radiation to clean up any remaining cancer. You would need to put a gun to my head to live with that. Thank God I pushed them ( two tumor boards later). Final surgery took out another 1.2 cm with finally clear margins. The motto of the story: MRI’s don’t necessarily pick up cancer. The only true way is a pathology report from surgery. Otherwise it is just guessing. Everyone in my case was guessing and they were wrong!

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worried1111 | @worried1111 | 14 hours ago
In reply to @worried1111 "I had a mastectomy. Two weeks later a lump on chest wall. Confirmed cancer. Chemo to..." + (show)
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I had a mastectomy. Two weeks later a lump on chest wall. Confirmed cancer. Chemo to shrink. Then a lumpectomy. The MRI said it was gone. They went in again based on MRI. Another 3.5 cm of cancer. Now 3 bad margins. The surgeon rationalized it could be “false positive margins” and go to radiation to clean up any remaining cancer. You would need to put a gun to my head to live with that. Thank God I pushed them ( two tumor boards later). Final surgery took out another 1.2 cm with finally clear margins. The motto of the story: MRI’s don’t necessarily pick up cancer. The only true way is a pathology report from surgery. Otherwise it is just guessing. Everyone in my case was guessing and they were wrong!

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@worried1111 Moreover, the longer you wait the worse the outcomes. 8 weeks is already a long time. I had to wait 10 weeks for surgery and then I had to heal from the surgery before radiation.

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