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Understanding Pathology Results Questions explaining and understanding pathology results. |
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| 9/14/2011 | I was diagnosed with invasive ductal breast cancer last month. I have had a lumpectomy about 2 weeks ago, the margins in one section were not clean. They are clear .5mm (I am told they need to be a minimum of 2mm) from IDC but that margin is also still in DCIS (0 mm). All other margins have been reported as clean. I have scheduled re-excisional surgery. I am currently hanging on to a stage 1, grade 2 IDC DX with a 1.7 cm mass without node involvement. It is more of a psychological factor for me but I am wondering if after the re-excsion to remove DCIS alone will the amount of DCIS removed (to clear margins) be added to the current size of my tumor on my final pathology report? I am hoping to have clean margins with second surgery as only one margin is not clear form first lumpectomy. Thank you so much for this site. | ||
| Replied | JHU's Breast Center Reply | ||
| 9/15/2011 | It is not unusual to find close and/or positive margin(s) with breast conserving surgery, and re-excision is indicated. The size of your tumor, 1.7 cm, was most likely determined prior to surgery, either by mammo, ultrasound or MRI. The shaving of tissue to acheive clean margins will not change your tumor size (we are talking microscopic cells). Hope this helps, and best wishes! | ||
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