DCIS Breast Cancer Diagnosis

Should You Fear a DCIS Breast Cancer Diagnosis?

This article was written in the first person from actual experience. It is not meant as advice to anyone. If you concerned about any changes in your breasts you should consult a GP without delay.

Ductal Carcinoma In Situ (DCIS) is an early form of breast cancer, located in the milk duct and in my case measuring 11mm. Having not yet achieved the ability to spread outside the duct, the cancer cells are contained. About 60 Australians per day are diagnosed with breast cancer which equates to about 1 in 8 and of that 1 in 5 of those will be DCIS cases.

DCIS is easily fixed with a lumpectomy and considered curable.

Recently undergoing a breast scan for lumpiness I felt on the side of my right breast brought about the result of - ”it’s just hard sinew. But while you are here, we also scan and check the other breast”.

A black dot appeared on the screen that the technician deemed suspicious, thus summoning the doctor into the room to check. His recommendation was an immediate biopsy. I knew immediately that it was breast cancer. Two plus two!

The Dr numbed the breast area and inserted the thick biopsy needle, taking two samples. Results were received 2 days later.

I wasn’t in the least bit fazed or tearful. I put this down to growing up on a farm and having a pragmatic view on life and death. We don’t get to choose what life dishes out to us. This was my soul’s journey. And my motto is “Find the solution, fix it and get on with it.”

When I walked into my Dr’s office I greeted him with “Well F*&% me Matthew I’ve got cancer.”

He duly printed off the histology report revealing I had DCIS breast cancer.

The Dr advised that the Robina Breast Clinic would be in touch with me to schedule consultations and surgery. The internet information grades DCIS cancer as zero, but my report said Stage 1.

I picked up the report and stood up to leave, but Matthew asked me to sit down again. He spun his chair around to face me and in a very concerned voice asked me if I was ok.

“Yea. Why wouldn’t I be?”

“Well, I’ve just told you that you have breast cancer.”

“But it’s not a death sentence and of all the breast cancers you could possibly get, this is the best one because it’s the easiest to fix. Fate and destiny Matthew. I’m not afraid of death. I know where my soul goes. This is cut it out and get on with life.”

He offered to be there if I was at all anxious and needed someone to talk to. Bless his heart, he probably had never struck too many matter of fact people like me.

10 days later I was consulting with my surgeon. I declined radiation and said no to oestrogen producing inhibitor drugs, citing the extreme side effects that my sister had from both when she had the exact same breast cancer 7 years previously. No genetics involved. Luck of the draw! Radiation depleted the marrow in her rib bones and she has constant pain as if her ribs are cracked. The radiation also affected her heart valve, and she had a heart attack. My sister is a tiny person, with no heart issues before this. When she took the medication, she had days she couldn’t even remember her name and the pain would be so bad in her muscles and bones that she couldn’t walk. My surgeon said they would talk me through the pain, but if I could get through the first 6 weeks, it gets easier after that. No thank you to toxic pills in my body. And yes, I am accountable if cancer reappears and I will have an increased risk of an invasive cancer at a later time. If my decisions come back to bite me in the bum, then so be it. My body, my choice.

 Surgery was scheduled for 3 weeks later.

In the following 3 weeks, I researched clinical studies and peer reviewed reports . I am an avid reader and over the decades I had read numerous books about cancer, so I just wanted to reaffirm what was already in my head.

My biggest debate was the removal of the 2 breast sentinel lymph nodes. I couldn’t get my head around removing healthy tissue from my body. The surgeon considered my risk factors and came up with an 8% risk of the cancer spreading to the nodes. This could be the cancer cells pressing up against lymph vessels in my breast and escaping into those vessels. Or it could be that when they operate, there is a possibility of micro-organisms of cancer escaping. Supposedly my small fingernail size cancer lump is encapsulated and the chances of it leaking to lymph vessels was minimal.  I elected to not have the 2 breast nodes removed and be totally responsible for that decision.

Between that first appointment and surgery I followed these protocols.

1. A sugar free diet. I eat nutritious meals with plenty of fruit and vegies, but biscuits are my addiction. I don’t smoke. I don’t drink. I rarely eat takeaways. I don’t consume soft drinks. Foraging around in my pantry, I found all the ingredients for making biscuits, cakes and muffins and threw them into the bin. Cocoa, icing sugar, caster sugar, coconut, baking powder etc. And I stopped buying supermarket biscuits and crackers.
2. Brushwood berry tincture rubbed into my breast skin, morning and night.
3. Cup of Japanese Matcha green tea each day.
4. 4-day water fast with no food at all to reset the body to heal.
5. A 10ml liquid infusion per day. Quercetin 200mg, Fisetin 200mg, Kaempferol 200mg, Apigenin 100mg, Curcumin 200mg, Resveratrol 250mg, Vitamin C 1200mg.
6. Weekly liquid infusion of iron, with vitamin C.
7. Thermal imaging of upper chest and head showed a clogging of my lymphatic system.
8. A bio resonance test also showed a clogged up lymphatic system.

Ideally, I would like to have sourced the reason for my cancer, so that I could treat the cause after the surgeon had treated the symptom. But after decades of cancer research, a variety of causes can be attributable.  

Is it the peptides? Some kinds of peptides are deficient in the blood of cancer patients.

Is it dysfunctional T-cells? This affects the ability of the immune system to attack the cancer.

Is it radiation? Too much cell phone use? Too close to the TV? Radiation damages our DNA.

Is it environmental? Chemicals? Roundup? Sheep dip on the farm? Carcinogens cause cancer.

Is it chronic inflammation? Undoubtedly. But what has caused the inflammation?

Is it hormones? Hormone imbalance appears to relate to some cancers.

Is it genetics? Genes have about a 10% fault, but not in my case.

Is it lifestyle attributed to smokers, drinkers and obesity. I am 10kg overweight.

Tuesday December 13^th

Just a half hour operation and the lump is cut out. Anaesthetic always makes me incredibly nauseous, so once past that, all was ok.

No driving for 48 hours or lifting anything heavy for 2 weeks. With a waterproof dressing, showering and swimming was ok. There was no pain, so I am very lucky, all things considered.

I asked my Dr for a photo of my removed cancer lump, which was 8mm (It had reduced from the original 11mm) from my first scan and from before I started my protocol.  They also removed another 8cm of surrounding tissue. This left a small indent in my breast. I deemed myself extremely fortunate.

A few weeks after my operation, it was announced that Martina Navratilova had breast cancer and throat cancer. 12 years ago, in 2010, she also had DCIS milk duct cancer, opting for the 6 weeks of radiation.

I figured that if one of the fittest women on the planet, who has eaten nutritionally her entire life, can get cancer, then why should I deprive myself of the odd biscuit – no more half packets!!! Moderation from hereon in. Put Martina on one side of the scales and Mick Jagger on the other and there is no reason why cancer should strike the person who looked after her body against a bloke who didn’t.

Cancer continues to be researched.