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NetWellness is a global, community service providing quality, unbiased health information from our partner university faculty. NetWellness is commercial-free and does not accept advertising.
Wednesday, May 22, 2013
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NetWellness is a global, community service providing quality, unbiased health information from our partner university faculty. NetWellness is commercial-free and does not accept advertising.
Wednesday, May 22, 2013
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Breast Cancer |
Atypia bordering on DCIS08/04/2008 |
I had a surgical biopsy because of my microcalcifications on my breasts. The result was atypia bordering on DCIS. The doctor recomended tamoxifen just in case. I have more calcificartions on my left breast now and I just had a needle biopsy. What does one do when there is what my doctor called possibly precancerous situation. What does it mean pre-cancer. Are there statistics that prove that it changes into cancer? When I asked flatly, did I have a Cancer. I was told NO. So why i am always a suspect. Please help.
Precancer means one of 2 things. The problem can become a cancer if it is left for a long enough time in your breast and/or it places you at a higher risk for getting breast cancer even if it is removed. Atypia bordering on DCIS can do both - become a cancer if left in your breast and it does increase your risk for getting cancer 4-5 fold even if it is removed.
This does not mean that you will get cancer for certain, however. Tamoxifen has been shown to decrease breast cancer risk by almost 50%. Your baseline risk is not 100%, however, so it won't decrease your risk from 100% down to 50%. It is not possible to calculate your risk based on the information given, but as an example, if your risk was calculated to be 20%, then tamoxifen will decrease it to about 10%.
You should consider making an appointment with your doctor to obtain more information. If he/she is unable to explain your risks to you, then consider a second opinion.
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Jean T Stevenson, MD, FACS Associate Professor of Surgery School of Medicine Case Western Reserve University |
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