Hi Patricia, I had a lumpectomy with radiation 10 years ago and I really regret that decision now. My cancer came back this past October and in Dec. I had a bilateral mastectomy. If I had to do it over again I would have had a mastectomy the first time. It has made my reconstruction more difficult, I have to have the diep procedure now to get healthy skin in that area. I'm sitting here with Tissue expanders and the right side is a lot tighter and higher. My surgeon does not want to expand me because of the radiated side. I have a lot of pain from all the scar tissue. I would say that if the tumor is big and they have to shrink it then yes but if not then I would not. I had 37 rounds and it still came back 10 years later. I opted for a double this time because there was no way I was going through this a third time. You have to think about the future and what you feel is best. Also it never hurts to get more than one opinion. Best wishes :)

Important questions to ask: WHAT IS THE NUCLEAR GRADE OF THE DCIS 2. WHAT WAS THE SIZE OF THE DCIS REMOVED. 3. WAS THERE ANY NECROSIS IDENTIFIED 4. WWHAT TYPE OF DCIS, Cribiform,Solid, Papillary,Micropapillary, Comedo-solid, Comedo - necrosis and Lobular.
These are all important ant factors which help determine treatment options. This past Summer, I found a lump on the same breast as previous IDC DIGNOSIS 2011, followed by radiation.They ordered mammogram and ultrasound..saw nothing! However by time of next appointment 1 1/2 month later, the lump had tripled in size. Biopsy performed, DCIS With all positive margins. Bilateral Mastectomy was treatment option( soft tissue sarcoma rt. breast 1990).
Pathology of l breast: 4 out of 7 sections with DCIS, LARGEST AREAS 2cm, Cribiform, necrosis noted and nuclear grade 2. Some micro-invasion present. Margin closes to chest wall only .75 cm. Reconstruction, performed Sept 23 2014. Revision of left due to poor healing Oct. 16th, internal fold from expander caused ulceration on left which was removed and sutured Nov. 25. CT /Bone scan showed lytic area "new" of 10th rib. Described as healing old fracture, which was not seen in August when "new" lytic area of 11th rib described as healing old fracture and 9th rib which received same remark in May 2013. Anyhow stitches removed Dec. 15th and by Christmas area necrotic and me sick. Removal of left expander Jan 2 2015. CT/ performed of abdomen for pre-surgical evaluation on Jan 4th, 2015.
On January 12th Impression of CT 1cm sclerotic bone lesion on L5(spine) described as METASTATIC BONE LESION.
THIS WEEK FURTHERER CT/Bone scan whole body due to the review of bone,PET, scans and CT's dating back to when it was a solitary rib!
Angry as hell that it may have been stopped in tracts then, however, little info on solitary rib metastasis by my oncologist from WORLD CLASS CLEVELAND CLINIC.
I am an oncology nurse who got my start in Houston after first diagnosis. After pathology report on my DCIS which was down played. I found out that although a decade ago they would treat like cancer, not all DCIS NEEDED THAT EXTREME OF TREATMENT.
HOWEVER, THE LAST 5 years many studies, clinicall's , and biopsies performed from which they revealed the many types, mixed forms of DCIS and DCISM( the 2nd being DCIS with micro-invasion).
Also, nuclear grading scale developed to accompany the types and prescience of/or not: necrosis within DCIS and or MICRO-invasion.
So, personally I would have them clarify the type, grade, presence of necrosis with or with out micro-invasion and then discuss best treatment options for you.
I am a 26 year survivor and am 47. My normally aggressive attitude regarding intuitive notions of potential threatening signs, symptoms and allowed bullying by my X oncologist and his non-empathic nurse, has now left me scared to death that this bone metastasis might not allow me to see my son graduate high school.
You need to fight 4 U!

I was also diagnosed with DCIS stage 0, and I had a lumpectomy and partial bilateral mastectomy. I did follow up with radiation, and I can tell you I was terrified at first, but after my first treatment, I was much more relaxed. You don't feel anything, and it literally took me longer to ride up the elevator to get to the clinic than it did for the actual treatment. The side effects were temporary hair loss in the underarm on the side that was treated and severe exhaustion. My oncologist will put me on an aromatase inhibitor once I'm at menopause. I've never been so anxious to get to that point. I can't take Tamoxifen for a few reasons. I recommend getting a second opinion no matter what, but my experience with radiation was not a bad one if they end up recommending it to you. They need to be aggressive with this so it doesn't metastasize. I see I'm late to your question, and I hope everything went well.

it does but you have to stay positive because believe it or not ,it plays a very important role in recovery :)_

I had Stage 0 DCIS. I had lumpectomy with good margins (all 1 cm). Radiation was recommended just in case there were any cancer cells left.
I have a heart condition so my cardiologist did not want me to have radiation. Based on that I had a mastectomy instead and when the pathology came back there were still cancer cells in the breast tissue. I was glad I had follow up treatment after lumpectomy. Some doctors recommend tamoxifen without radiation for very small Stage 0 DCIS. I have a friend who had DCIS with lumpectomy and Tamoxifen and is doing very well. She is now 5 years post op. It is a personal decision. Very hard to decide. Good luck.