Understanding Your Biopsy Report: Calcifications and DCIS/Invasive Carcinoma

Question
QUESTION: it's 2 weeks until i get to talk to a dr and i've researched my biopsy report.  i'm not sure i have it right. i have no mass, only calcifications.  it says the majority are associated with foci of ductal carcinoma in situ with comedo necrosis.  the in situ component predominates, however two cores do show prominent foci of infiltrating carcinoma. this shows lobular characteristics, but the in situ and invasive components are positive for e-cadherin. what does all this mean?

ANSWER: Can you let me read your full report? That would tell me more! Some of what you mention are just technicalities. The in situ (stage 0) cancers are not a great problem but your invasive cancers may be!


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biopsy   QUESTION: thank you so much

Answer
Thanks! You are welcome! Yes this shows that a needle biopsy has been done (in an area with calcifications seen on mammography?). The biopsy shows that there are several foci (plural of focus) of cancer in situ (stage 0) in the specimen material but also a couple of foci of invasive cancer (probably stage 1). That IS important. The presence of e-cadherin shows that the tumors are of epithelial origin - already known - and that they probably are not very malignant. The discussion of ductal and lobular cancer is only a technicality. In this situation probably a lumpectomy combined maybe with a sentinel node biopsy is the only necessary surgery combined with radiation therapy. For a better evaluation of that I do need to read your full mammography report. Good luck!