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• Cancer >> Ductal Carcinoma in Situ (DCIS) >> Age at diagnosis: 50-54 >> Patricia - Interview 27 >> Patricia knew straight away that she would prefer a mastectomy and was pleased with how the operation went.

Patricia was diagnosed with DCIS in 1999, aged 53. She had a mastectomy and, about a year later, a second mastectomy because she felt unbalanced with only one breast and worried about recurrence.

• Cancer >> Ductal Carcinoma in Situ (DCIS) >> Age at diagnosis: 50-54 >> Patricia - Interview 7 >> Patricia agreed with the doctor’s advice but, later, felt upset about having a mastectomy and really didn’t want one.

Patricia was diagnosed with DCIS in 2007, aged 53. She had a mastectomy and LD flap reconstruction six months later. She will also be taking hormone therapy.

• Cancer >> Ductal Carcinoma in Situ (DCIS) >> Age at diagnosis: under 50 >> Sue - Interview 9 >> Sue had not heard of DCIS before her own diagnosis.

Sue was diagnosed with DCIS at 49 and had a wide local excision. She was pleased she went for the mammogram and recommends them to other women.

• Cancer >> Ductal Carcinoma in Situ (DCIS) >> Age at diagnosis: 65-70 >> Hilary - Interview 10 >> Hilary knew straight away that she wanted breast reconstruction. She felt frightened at the thought of coming round after surgery and having only one

Hilary was diagnosed with DCIS in 2007, aged 66. She had a mastectomy and immediate LD flap reconstruction. She was awaiting further surgery to match both breasts.

• Cancer >> Ductal Carcinoma in Situ (DCIS) >> Age at diagnosis: 50-54 >> Gillian - Interview 4 >> Gillian would have liked more information about the surgical options from a health professional. After talking to the doctor about how another excisio

Gillian was diagnosed with high-grade DCIS in 2006, aged 50, a year after her first routine mammogram. She had two breast conserving operations and, later, a mastectomy.

• Cancer >> Ductal Carcinoma in Situ (DCIS) >> Age at diagnosis: 50-54 >> Rachel - Interview 29 >> There was very little time between diagnosis and surgery. Rachel felt it was like a whirlwind. She would have liked more time to adjust to the shock o

Rachel was diagnosed with DCIS after her first mammogram. She felt she was rushed into having a mastectomy, which she had one day after her diagnosis.

• Cancer >> Ductal Carcinoma in Situ (DCIS) >> Age at diagnosis: under 50 >> Felicity - Interview 23 >> Felicity found radiotherapy tiring, physically and emotionally, because she had two children to care for as well. She found radiotherapy impersonal be

Felicity was diagnosed with DCIS, aged 41, after being referred to a breast clinic because of breast pain. She had two excision operations, a mastectomy and radiotherapy.

• Cancer >> Ductal Carcinoma in Situ (DCIS) >> Age at diagnosis: under 50 >> Elizabeth - Interview 21 >> Elizabeth, a nurse, said she had all the information she needed and it was easy to read and understand.

Elizabeth had a wide local excision, radiotherapy and is taking tamoxifen for five years. Work helped her to stay positive and focussed throughout.

• Cancer >> Ductal Carcinoma in Situ (DCIS) >> Age at diagnosis: 55-60 >> Janet - Interview 30 >> Janet got all the information she needed from her breast care nurse, including the title of a very helpful book.

Janet was diagnosed with DCIS in 1997 after a routine mammogram and had a recurrence in 2003. She had a wide local excision and radiotherapy in 1997 and a mastectomy in 2003. She was also prescribed tamoxifen then.

• Cancer >> Ductal Carcinoma in Situ (DCIS) >> Age at diagnosis: 50-54 >> Linda - Interview 3 >> Linda describes the breast nurse as her rock – it was her job to be nice but they also developed a real empathy.

Linda was diagnosed with DCIS in 2007, aged 53. She had a wide local excision, followed by a mastectomy. She was also prescribed Nolvadex for five years.

• Cancer >> Ductal Carcinoma in Situ (DCIS) >> Age at diagnosis: 50-54 >> Agnes - Interview 8 >> Agnes said her Macmillan nurse should be given a medal – she was an excellent source of support and information.

Agnes had a wide local excision, after which some invasive cancer was also found. She will be having radiotherapy and taking tamoxifen.

• Cancer >> Ductal Carcinoma in Situ (DCIS) >> Age at diagnosis: 50-54 >> Patricia - Interview 7 >> Patricia was glad to have breast reconstruction because she disliked wearing a prosthesis and seeing herself in the mirror with only one breast.

Patricia was diagnosed with DCIS in 2007, aged 53. She had a mastectomy and LD flap reconstruction six months later. She will also be taking hormone therapy.

• Cancer >> Ductal Carcinoma in Situ (DCIS) >> Age at diagnosis: 50-54 >> Pam - Interview 17 >> Information helped Pam cope better. She read as much as she could and also found the monthly phone calls from the breast care nurse helpful.

Pam was diagnosed with DCIS in 2005, aged 53. Her mother had also had DCIS and, because of this, Pam had already heard and read about it. Pam had a wide local excision and radiotherapy, and is taking tamoxifen for five years.

• Cancer >> Ductal Carcinoma in Situ (DCIS) >> Age at diagnosis: 50-54 >> Di - Interview 32 >> Di had been fit and healthy and was shocked to hear she would need a mastectomy for a precancerous condition. She was being given lots of information

Di was diagnosed with DCIS in 2003 after her first routine mammogram. She had a mastectomy and LD flap reconstruction six months after diagnosis.

• Cancer >> Ductal Carcinoma in Situ (DCIS) >> Age at diagnosis: 50-54 >> Sandra - Interview 1 >> Sandra feels that it is sometimes harder to be diagnosed with DCIS than invasive breast cancer, especially for women who need a mastectomy.

Sandra was diagnosed with DCIS in 2007, aged 50. She had a mastectomy and immediate reconstruction using an implant. After surgery, Paget’s disease was also found.

• Cancer >> Ductal Carcinoma in Situ (DCIS) >> Age at diagnosis: 50-54 >> Patricia - Interview 7 >> Patricia didn’t like being on the ward after surgery. She didn’t have much pain but her arm felt sore and numb.

Patricia was diagnosed with DCIS in 2007, aged 53. She had a mastectomy and LD flap reconstruction six months later. She will also be taking hormone therapy.

• Cancer >> Ductal Carcinoma in Situ (DCIS) >> Age at diagnosis: 50-54 >> Liz - Interview 16 >> Deciding which type of reconstruction to have was difficult. Liz has chosen to have a DIEP flap reconstruction with a slightly smaller breast than bef

Liz had a wide local excision, and was waiting to have a mastectomy and DIEP flap reconstruction because more DCIS was found after her first operation.

• Cancer >> Ductal Carcinoma in Situ (DCIS) >> Age at diagnosis: 55-60 >> Janet - Interview 30 >> Janet says she had small breasts so is happy using a cumfie. She is waiting to get her prosthesis, which might be heavier than her cumfie but a better

Janet was diagnosed with DCIS in 1997 after a routine mammogram and had a recurrence in 2003. She had a wide local excision and radiotherapy in 1997 and a mastectomy in 2003. She was also prescribed tamoxifen then.

• Cancer >> Ductal Carcinoma in Situ (DCIS) >> Age at diagnosis: 50-54 >> Patricia - Interview 27 >> Patricia talked to her breast care nurse because she was worried she’d had a mastectomy unnecessarily. She was reassured by the nurse and after readin

Patricia was diagnosed with DCIS in 1999, aged 53. She had a mastectomy and, about a year later, a second mastectomy because she felt unbalanced with only one breast and worried about recurrence.

• Cancer >> Ductal Carcinoma in Situ (DCIS) >> Age at diagnosis: under 50 >> Kath - Interview 12 >> Kath wanted more information about the kind of DCIS she had. She would have liked a copy of her pathology report and to talk to other women with DCIS

Kath was diagnosed with DCIS in 2007, aged 47, after seeing her GP because her breast felt dense. She had a mastectomy and LD flap reconstruction.

• Cancer >> Ductal Carcinoma in Situ (DCIS) >> Age at diagnosis: under 50 >> Pauline - Interview 28 >> Pauline explains why she chose to have an implant and what it involved. Her new breast felt harder than she expected but looked young and pert.

Pauline was diagnosed with DCIS in 2001, aged 49, after her first routine mammogram. She had two excisions, followed by a mastectomy and reconstruction using an implant. She also had radiotherapy and took tamoxifen for two years.

• Cancer >> Ductal Carcinoma in Situ (DCIS) >> Age at diagnosis: 50-54 >> Gillian - Interview 4 >> Gilllian came home with a drain, which was later removed. A district nurse visited her for a week to check her wound. She was surprised to be in no pa

Gillian was diagnosed with high-grade DCIS in 2006, aged 50, a year after her first routine mammogram. She had two breast conserving operations and, later, a mastectomy.

• Cancer >> Ductal Carcinoma in Situ (DCIS) >> Age at diagnosis: 65-70 >> Hilary - Interview 10 >> Hilary felt a bit tired when she first came home. Her arm was stiff, though she kept exercising it. It took her about three weeks to start feeling bet

Hilary was diagnosed with DCIS in 2007, aged 66. She had a mastectomy and immediate LD flap reconstruction. She was awaiting further surgery to match both breasts.

• Cancer >> Ductal Carcinoma in Situ (DCIS) >> Age at diagnosis: under 50 >> Jo - Interview 11 >> Jo got hardly any rest on the ward. She had another illness to deal with, as well as DCIS, and felt nurses were uncaring and unsympathetic.

Jo was diagnosed with DCIS in 2007, aged 42, over two years after seeing doctors about a bleeding nipple when she was breast-feeding. She had a mastectomy.

• Cancer >> Ductal Carcinoma in Situ (DCIS) >> Age at diagnosis: 50-54 >> Hilary - Interview 6 >> Hilary was grateful to the nurse who set up her mammogram appointment. Though she was an agency nurse, Hilary found out her contact details so she cou

Hilary was diagnosed with DCIS in 2001, aged 50. She had a wide local excision, followed by a mastectomy. She also had a delayed DIEP flap reconstruction, followed by breast reduction surgery and nipple reconstruction.

• Cancer >> Ductal Carcinoma in Situ (DCIS) >> Age at diagnosis: 50-54 >> Agnes - Interview 8 >> After talking to the nurse and doing her own research, Agnes chose a wide local excision. She felt a mastectomy was too drastic for a non-invasive con

Agnes had a wide local excision, after which some invasive cancer was also found. She will be having radiotherapy and taking tamoxifen.

• Cancer >> Ductal Carcinoma in Situ (DCIS) >> Age at diagnosis: 50-54 >> Linda - Interview 3 >> Since leaving hospital, Linda has not contacted the breast care nurse. She prefers support from other women she has contacted on website forums.

Linda was diagnosed with DCIS in 2007, aged 53. She had a wide local excision, followed by a mastectomy. She was also prescribed Nolvadex for five years.

• Cancer >> Ductal Carcinoma in Situ (DCIS) >> Age at diagnosis: 55-60 >> Jane - Interview 5 >> Jane didn’t get much rest because the nurses regularly checked her breast but she was in no pain at all. She felt slightly nauseous and had an injecti

Jane was diagnosed with DCIS in 2007, aged 58. She had a mastectomy and a DIEP flap breast reconstruction at the same time.