So, This Is Breast Cancer

For those of you who like to know these things, this is what I have:

Pathology indicates malignant carcinoma in situ (DCIS) at 6 o’clock and DCIS with a 1.3 mm area of invasive ductal carcinoma  (ID) at 6:30. (Funny, I never thought of my breast as a clock, but I do now). Pathology results are concordant with imaging findings.

In my right breast, at 6-6:30, posterior depth, a sterotactic biopsy was performed which found invasive mammary carcinoma with the following features;

1.     ER+  meaning it is receptive to the hormone, estrogen

2.     PR-  which means in is negative to progesterone

3.     HER2 negative which means it is negative to oncogene protein (I think)

Also, in the right breast at 6:00, middle depth, the biopsy performed shows Ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) which in also ER+, or positive to the hormone, estrogen.

The invasive carcinoma in my right breast which is at 6-6:30, posterior depth, the tumor size in at least 0.13 cm. It has a Nottingham grade 2 of 3 (tubular score 3 of 3, nuclear score 2of 3 and mitotic count 0). All of which means I am at stage 1 cancer.

At 6:00, middle depth the cancer is ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS). This is probably the most common form and many women, of a certain age have it. It means the cancer cells are sitting in the milk duct and they have not gone anywhere, yet. The size in at least 0.8 cm and involves 3 of 7 cores. The pattern in solid and cribriform, the nuclear grade is 3 of 3. Necrosis is present and microcalcifications are present.

This is what the pathology reports say. But what does all this mean?