phatology report infiltrating carcinoma

[alidi]

I just had my pathology report, it was malignant, INFILTRATING CARCINOMA, ER3+ AND PR3+
Score: 1+,(faint incomplete membrane staining in> 10% of tumor cells). THE CARCINOMA IS PROBABLY A
PLEOMORPHIC LOBULAR CARCINOMA,
I would need to discuss this diagnosis, with anybody who has some knowledge or expirience,
I have an appoiment with my Oncologist tuesday next week.
To Specialmom, Zouzy, and Bluebutterfly222, please , write, I need your Support and knowledge.

[alidi]

Thank you all of you for your advise and Support,
God Bless.

[SueYoung55]

I really think you should have the MRI before surgery. REALLY think you should.

Here is why, ok? When I had my biopsy, they thought it was a small cancer of 1.5 centimeters or about the size of a dime.

The MRI showed it to be 4 inches... or 10 centimeters. MUCH bigger than they thought.

So if I had the surgery before I knew what was really there, BEFORE the MRI, I would have had a lumpectomy and would have had to go back for a mastectomy because they would have left ALL that cancer still in me. When they did my mastectomy they had to go clear into my chest muscle to get it out. And the point of surgery is to get it out. Am I explaining that right?

Alidi,

Please have the MRI before surgery. Please think about it. :)

[SueYoung55]

I think you have time for both appointments but please do what you feel comfortable doing.

Best wishes as always

[bluebutterfly2222]

I'd say keep the first appointment as planned, see how comfortable you feel with him/her handling your case, and also ask  about the advisability of the two-week delay for a second opinion  (since the oncologist might be more experienced/knowledgeable in this particular area than the general doctor/family friend).

I don't know where you live, but since you mentioned that you would fly to Sloan K, you might also want to consider the convenience of being treated closer to home, having more support available, etc., versus having access to the excellent physicians and facilities of Sloan Kettering. (There is no "right" answer--the cost-benefit ratio would be different for each person.)

[alidi]

Thank you all for responding, and your support.
A general Doctor friend of my family read the report, told me" to go to my first Oncology
Appoiment and do not dalay SURGERY forget about the Nov. 17 AT the Sloan it is to far
in time"
I will go Nov. 3 , but my daughter wants to fly me to the Sloan K. the problem is the delayed appoiment in New York, what do you think girls? THANK YOU AGAIN and
GOD BLESS.

[SueYoung55]

Hi Alidi,

I'd keep both appointments and then choose who you like best for treatment, surgery etc... Be picky and get what and who you want. I say this because this is going to be almost a year of your life so make sure you are comfortable with your partners in treatment. I know Sloan Kettering has terrific facilities and maybe they can set an appointment to get a surgeon, hematology oncologist, radiology oncologist and plastic surgeon all at once. They may also offer that at your local breast center. I'd want my MRI before Sloan Kettering though so I think when you see the first appointment, see if they'll order that test ASAP for you. Then you can take all of your results with you to the other appointment and see what they say. You're going to do just fine. We're just helping you get some things in line and I hope you don't mind the suggestions. You do have time for these appointments, you're only talking about three weeks so don't worry about that. It's best to find out everything so that you're comfortable with your choices :)

Also, something to think about... your choice.... I keep ALL of my mammograms, ultrasounds, MRI's and XRays and that way I don't have to go find them to take them to another doctor. I keep them in my airconditioned home and bring them with me... lots less hassle.

Best wishes

[ncmichigan]

Hi, Ali,
I wrote to you on the "microcalcifications" thread. Like everyone else, I am SO sorry to hear about your pathology report. I'm sorry you have to go through all the anxiety and treatment but I'm hoping this was found early enough for you to have a good outcome, like Sue did. My diagnosis was only LCIS, but I decided already that there
are worse things than breast cancer. I'm a nurse and I've seen some of those worse things, so I can say that positively. We can't control what happens to us, we can only
control how we react to what happens to us. So like everyone has told you, stay
positive and determined that you'll get through this. Do as much as you can for yourself ---the appointments are a good start,  writing your questions down and
the docs answers, or recording them, gathering information from as many sources as you can and getting as much emotional support as you feel you need are all good,
too. After that you just need to take things once step at a time, trust in your doctors and keep your hopes high. My warmest thoughts and good wishes are with you.

[zouzi]

Hi Ali,
I agree with specialmom...keep your appointment as scheduled for next Tuesday the 3rd and then see how it goes from there.Although I don't respond to your posts as much as I would like (not very knowledgeable about your case) but you are in my thoughts..I pray and I hope that only good things will come your way.Arm yourself with courage,determination and positiveness,this will help you a lot in whatever you will be facing.Take care...

[specialmom]

Ali, ----  I think I would keep your appointment on November 3rd AND November 17th.  Second opinions can be helpful even if they just give you reassurance that your first doctor is doing the right thing.  The other ladies here will probably have the best answers for you but those are just my thoughts.  I will keep praying for you and thinking of you.

[alidi]

Hi : My appoiment is next tuesday Nov.3rd, I call the office of my Oncologist and could not get a sooner app., My Daughter wants to take me to New York to the Sloen Kettering hospital, but we could not get an appoiment until, Novemeber 17, A local Doctor, who is a friend of the family,told us November 17 is to faraway for apppoiment.
he would recommend to treat my condition inmediatly. Please write, and thank you
again, Love,Ali

[SueYoung55]

Alidi,
Ask your DR to go over the entire pathology report with you. Ask them to schedule an MRI as soon as possible (I say that because sometimes it takes time to get in for one). You are stunned with this news and I'm so sorry they had to tell you. But please don't freak out because this is VERY treatable.

Have someone go to your appointment with you. In the meantime, read up on invasive lobular carcinoma anywhere you can find information (make sure a reputable site if online). I took a voice activated tape recorder with me to appointments and it sat on top of my purse. This way if my mind stopped to think about something they said, I still recorded what they said while I wasn't paying attention. It's a LOT to take in.

I would not do any surgery until an MRI is done and you know exactly what you're dealing with. Example: (mine was thought to be 1.5cm after biopsy but after MRI it showed to be a whopping 10 cm) which changed all of my options and the order in which they were administered.

Please let us know how your appointment goes tomorrow. BREATHE in AND out :)

[zouzi]

Alidi,I honestly thought that your case was similar to mine,but SueYoung correctly gave you the right information.Now,as you know Sue Young had almost your same diagnostic two years ago and after all the treatments she had, she is now doing very well (Thank God).Like her you will fight this and you will win and see your grand children grow.Don't start thinking that you are going to die,cancer treatments are so advanced today that so many women,even with worse cases than yours are surviving and doing quite well.Ask your doctor to give you some medication to lessen your anxiety,I know that you must feel terrible now and my heart goes out to you,but with time your anxiety will subside and you will find yourself ready to proceed with the all the treatments necessary for your well being.I will be praying for you a lot alidi,you can be sure of that.Sue Young is very knowledgeable about cases like yours and I am sure that she will help you go through it all.Please take care and God Bless you dear.  

[alidi]

Thanks so much for the info and support . Excuse my Orthographic errors,my head is spinning!!

[alidi]

ZOUZI: THI IS THE WORST NIGHT OF MY LIFE, YES, i DO NOT KNOW HOW I AM GOING TO GO THRU, TONIGHHT, MY SPECIMENT SIZE IS: 1.3 X 0.8 X 0.2. , THEY SHOW
TOTAL SCORE GRADE 3, THIS SCARES ME, WHEN I READ TUMOR SIZE LARGEST
DIMENSION IT IS ( BLANK) THE RADIOLOGIST WAS NOT CLEAR ON ANYTHING.
JUST , HE TOLD ME OUT BLUNT ( YOU HAVE CANCER ) PLEASE LET ME KNOW WHAT YOU THINK, YOU, ALL ARE MY FRIENDS AND SUPPORT, i DO NOT WANT TO DIE KNOW, I WANT TO SEE MY GRANDCHILDREN GROW!

[alidi]

Oh God ! Thanks for your response. Yes, it is HER2  PROTEIN,( SCORE : 1+FAINT AND
INCOMPLETE MEMBRANE STAINING< 10% OF TUMOR CELLS)                                                                                                                    INTERPRETATION : NEGATIVE
pLEASE GIVE ME YOUR ASSESMENT
THANK YOU SO MUCH !!

[SueYoung55]

Hi,

Did they give you any response to the HER2? Does it mention if it's negative or positive? It should be there on your pathology right after the ER and PR +.

I had invasive lobular carcinoma. It is a camera shy cancer so you won't see it on a mammogram but may find a piece of it on an ultrasound. Have you had an MRI yet as this type of cancer shows up in all it's glory on an MRI.

Mine was a very aggressive cancer and lobular cancers tend to be a larger mass so don't freak out after your testing :)

Please do read up on it to know all the particulars. I chose double mastectomy for mine even though it was in one breast because it has a tendency to go bi-lateral. But that choice is certainly yours to make, whatever you feel is best for you will be the right decision for you.

Please continue your testing with an MRI to see what you've really got and where.

Best wishes and please understand this is very treatable with chemo and rads. And we're here to hold your hand and answer questions as you go on.

[bluebutterfly2222]

Hi alidi,

Thanks for sharing your news with us, although it's certaily not what we hoped to hear!

I'm glad you have an appointment with an oncologist so soon, so that you won't have to wait long tol have someone to answer  your questions and help you plan what comes next.

Be sure to take a notebook with all the questions you think of between now and then, or even a tape recorder, in case you miss something during the appointment. I hope your daughter will be able to go with you again too.

Best wishes,
bluebutterfly

[zouzi]

Hi alidi

I am very sorry to learn about the result of your biopsy..I truly am!..First of all alidi,don't panic,I had almost the same diagnostic as yours.Mine was infiltrating Ductul Carcinoma whilst yours is lobular.These are the most common types of cancer and highly curable.Your ER/PR positive is a good thing,because the tumor was fed and grew because of the estrogen in the body.In your report you don't mention the size of the lump,try to find out and let us know.In m case,I had surgery and two of my lymph nodes were removed to check if they were clear...and they were.I didn't need chemotherapy because my tumor was very small, about 9mm and especially because my cancerous cells did not reach my lymph nodes.After my surgery and six weeks later, I had Radiotherapy treatments for 4 weeks (20 sessions).Now I am on Arimidex which is an antiestrogen medication that helps not to have a recurrence.It is a long process to go through,but we go step by step and day by day.I can understand perfectly well how you must feel right now...I was very scared and shocked also,but I faced everything with a positive attitude thanks to so many wonderful women in this Forum who helped me tremendously! I don't know what I would have done if it wasn't for them...After one year I am still here wanting to help others the best I can,because I cannot FORGET the kindness and concern shown me throughout all my past bad experiences.Alidi,you'll be just fine I am sure,nowadays cancer treatment is so advanced and you can certainly overcome it!.Please post again and let us know how everything is proceeding and we will try to help you the best we can.Take care dear and God bless.

[specialmom]

Oh, I am so so sorry.  I am sure you are feeling very frightened and confused.  I'm new to this whole thing and I expect that I will be an expert soon----  so some of the other ladies here will be better able to offer you advice.

I offer you support and caring.  Please know that I will say prayers for you.  My sister just said something to me when we were discussing my biopsy (which I don't have the results yet) and she commented that breast cancer treatment has really come so far and can be so treatable.  I don't know what comfort this will give me if I get a report of malignant carcinoma.  But it is the truth.  Hold onto that and your faith.  

Again, I am so sorry for you and will keep you in my thought and prayers.