architectural distortion

Hi, I am 44 years old and have a 5 year old daughter.  I recently had a mamogram (mammogram) and was told it showed "architectural distortion" on the left.  I have fairly large breast, 42DD and find it difficult to feel anything due to the fibrosystic nature of them.  My past medical history includes:  17 years of infertility for which I received a variety of fertility drugs for over the course of the years.  My daughter is a product of in vitro fertilization.  No one going back 2 generations has had cancer in my family.  I did breast feed for 4 months.  I have been experiencing perimenopausal symtpoms x 2 years and recentely started on estrodil and had a progesterone IUD put in.  I hade one ovary removed at age 28 due to adhesions secondary to a chocolate cyst.  I typically drink one or two glasses of wine with dinner, but otherwise follow a heart healthy diet and exercise 3 to 5 times a week at a moderate level.  Ihave recently put on about 30 lbs (assuming from hormone issues), so I am slightly overweight at 5"8" and 195 lbs.  My most concering symptom is that for the last 6 months or so I have had a scaly, itchy nipples which I am treating with cortisone cream.

I can not get in for a repeat mammogram for three weeks.  What do you think?

[BhumikaMD]

Hi,

Scaly and itchy nipples for the past six months indicate an eczema of the nipple. Has it improved with the medication you have applied over this period of time? Have you noticed any oozing of fluid or blood from the nipple?

Architectural distortion is a term which indicates some changes in the arrangement of the fibrous tissues of the breast. It can be due to both benign and malignant reasons and therefore warrants a thorough mammographic examination at the least. The doctor may order further investigations to find out the exact reason for these changes. Excessive weight gain may also altered the fibrous arrangement in the breast. A further examination and investigation is warranted looking at your case history to bring out the true diagnosis.

Please let us know what your doctor says and keep us posted on your health.

Good luck.