Aa
2 X 2 HYPOECHOIC MASS
I got this report after a biopsy performed on July 6th:
"Suspicious lesion was demonstrated on mammography and ultrasound. Repeat right mammogram and biopsy were recommended. Findings: Mammography shows heterogeneously dense breast tissue. There is a suspicion lesion in the area of palpable concern. There is no evidence of additional lesions on right mammogram. Targeted sonography of the right breast demonstrates suspicious hypoechoic mass in the area of palpable concern. It measures aproximately 2 x 2 cm. Ultrasound guided core biopsy was performed uneventfully. There is no definite evidence of suspicious lymphadenopathy in the right axilla".
Now they want me to have a MRI. Could you please explain to me what's going on?
"Suspicious lesion was demonstrated on mammography and ultrasound. Repeat right mammogram and biopsy were recommended. Findings: Mammography shows heterogeneously dense breast tissue. There is a suspicion lesion in the area of palpable concern. There is no evidence of additional lesions on right mammogram. Targeted sonography of the right breast demonstrates suspicious hypoechoic mass in the area of palpable concern. It measures aproximately 2 x 2 cm. Ultrasound guided core biopsy was performed uneventfully. There is no definite evidence of suspicious lymphadenopathy in the right axilla".
Now they want me to have a MRI. Could you please explain to me what's going on?
Thanks a lot for your support, it means a lot to me right now. I'll keep my fingers crossed and hope for the best!
Hugs
Jacqueline
Hugs
Jacqueline
I am SO sorry to hear about your cancer diagnosis. I'm also sorry that you had such
an unsettling experience with the doctor at the Breast Center. There really is no excuse for that type of treatment of any patient. To me, the worst part of any of this is the "not knowing" and you've been in that position for months now. I hope the specialist you see will be much more compassionate and understanding and explain everything to you. Try to make a list of your questions ahead of time and take it with you. If you don't feel adequately informed, please ask and don't leave until you get all your questions answered! I was only diagnosed with LCIS and I had a list of at least 15 questions. My oncologist spent almost an hour with me going over every one while I wrote down his answers. I'm a nurse so I went to my appointment alone, but please follow bb's advice and have someone with you---you'll feel so much better, I think.
I wish you all the best throughout your treatment and hope you'll keep us updated.
Sending you a big hug ( ),
nc
an unsettling experience with the doctor at the Breast Center. There really is no excuse for that type of treatment of any patient. To me, the worst part of any of this is the "not knowing" and you've been in that position for months now. I hope the specialist you see will be much more compassionate and understanding and explain everything to you. Try to make a list of your questions ahead of time and take it with you. If you don't feel adequately informed, please ask and don't leave until you get all your questions answered! I was only diagnosed with LCIS and I had a list of at least 15 questions. My oncologist spent almost an hour with me going over every one while I wrote down his answers. I'm a nurse so I went to my appointment alone, but please follow bb's advice and have someone with you---you'll feel so much better, I think.
I wish you all the best throughout your treatment and hope you'll keep us updated.
Sending you a big hug ( ),
nc
Invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC) is cancer that began in a duct, but has spread beyond it into the adjacent area. Ductal BC is the most frequent type (about 90%).
A high grade tumor is one that is considered aggressive. The cancer cells are rated Grade 1, Grade 2 or Grade 3, with 1 being the least aggressive and 3 being the most aggressive.
Lymphovascular invasion means that there has been spread to a lymph node or nodes.
Your specific tx plan will be recommended by a treatment team, based on additional test and procedures which will help to detemine the TNM Stage (degree of spread) of your disease (based on the tumor size, number and type of node involvement, and whether any distant spread, called metastases, are found) and the receptor status (ER/PR/HER2) of your cancer. The specialist you are scheduled to see on July 26th will probably explain all of this in detail. It is very helpful to have someone go to the appointment with you, for emotional support and to help catch eveything that is discussed. . Many people even take a recording device so they can go back over what was said later.
In general terms, some type of surgery (lumpectomy or mastectomy), chemotherapy, and radiation (followed by a targeted tx medication if there is one available for your receptor status), would be likely.
Wishing you all the best,
bluebutterfly
A high grade tumor is one that is considered aggressive. The cancer cells are rated Grade 1, Grade 2 or Grade 3, with 1 being the least aggressive and 3 being the most aggressive.
Lymphovascular invasion means that there has been spread to a lymph node or nodes.
Your specific tx plan will be recommended by a treatment team, based on additional test and procedures which will help to detemine the TNM Stage (degree of spread) of your disease (based on the tumor size, number and type of node involvement, and whether any distant spread, called metastases, are found) and the receptor status (ER/PR/HER2) of your cancer. The specialist you are scheduled to see on July 26th will probably explain all of this in detail. It is very helpful to have someone go to the appointment with you, for emotional support and to help catch eveything that is discussed. . Many people even take a recording device so they can go back over what was said later.
In general terms, some type of surgery (lumpectomy or mastectomy), chemotherapy, and radiation (followed by a targeted tx medication if there is one available for your receptor status), would be likely.
Wishing you all the best,
bluebutterfly
I just got the surgical pathology report today:
DIAGNOSIS
Breast (right), core biopsy
INVASIVE DUCTAL CARCINOMA, HIGH GRADE WITH TUMOR NECROSIS
LYMPHOVASCULAR INVASION IS IDENTIFIED
Please tell me what this exactly means and what kind of treatment is recommended.
DIAGNOSIS
Breast (right), core biopsy
INVASIVE DUCTAL CARCINOMA, HIGH GRADE WITH TUMOR NECROSIS
LYMPHOVASCULAR INVASION IS IDENTIFIED
Please tell me what this exactly means and what kind of treatment is recommended.
Oh my, you have really been on a roller coaster ride the past few months. :-(
I'm sorry I can't add anything more at this point, since the doctor wouldn't tell you any details (just hit you with that bombshell and left you hanging for a week and a half!).
Please keep us posted.
Best wishes,
bluebutterfly
I'm sorry I can't add anything more at this point, since the doctor wouldn't tell you any details (just hit you with that bombshell and left you hanging for a week and a half!).
Please keep us posted.
Best wishes,
bluebutterfly
I had the first mammogram and breast ultrasound on May 5th, they were both negative. Then I had a second mammogram on June 2nd, and they found "a mass abutting on the pectoralis fascia, measuring 16 x 16x 12 nn, This is a homogeneous hypoechoic mildly lobulated mass which was not seen on our last ultrasound of May 5". The second breast ultrasound (same date) says "because of the posterior location of the mass, only the anterior portion of the lesion is identified. It appears sharply demarcated and therefore a benign configuration. Nevertheless, the ultrasound is disturbing, Surgical referral with a view to ultrasound-guided biopsy is recommended". Yesterday I had an appointment with a physician at the Breast Centre and he told me he had no good news and it was cancer. When I asked him for details, he was not very cooperative and said I have an appointment with another specialist on July 26th and she would explain everything to me. Of course I'm worried because I'm in the dark right now.
Hi,
To summarize, to make sure I have the correct information, it sounds as though you or your doctor found a palpable (able to be felt) lump. This lump showed up on both the mammogram and ultrasound as looking suspicious, so a core biopsy was performed.
You did not state your BI-RADS Rating, but I suspect it must have been a 4, or possibly, but a less likely, a 5?
The report, for some reason, didn't say ANYTHING about the cells that were obtained (but at least did not say any premalignant or malignant cells were identified). It did indicate that there was no definite evidence of pathology in the lymph nodes in the right underarm area. (Is that were the lump was felt? Or was a lump felt in the breast itself?)
My best guess: Since the lump is moderate in size, they may be concerned that the core samplings might not be representative of the whole lump, and they don't want to take a chance that something was missed. And since you have dense breast tissue, an MRI is better able to "see" through it than a mammogram, and thereby give them a better look at the suspicious lump/lesion. I would say they are being appropriately cautious.
But I am just "surmising" from a distance, and without all of your information available to me--a more reliable answer would have to obtained from your doctor(s), so please get in touch with them with your questions!
And when you have more information, or if I have misunderstood the situation thus far, please feel to write again.
Best wishes...
To summarize, to make sure I have the correct information, it sounds as though you or your doctor found a palpable (able to be felt) lump. This lump showed up on both the mammogram and ultrasound as looking suspicious, so a core biopsy was performed.
You did not state your BI-RADS Rating, but I suspect it must have been a 4, or possibly, but a less likely, a 5?
The report, for some reason, didn't say ANYTHING about the cells that were obtained (but at least did not say any premalignant or malignant cells were identified). It did indicate that there was no definite evidence of pathology in the lymph nodes in the right underarm area. (Is that were the lump was felt? Or was a lump felt in the breast itself?)
My best guess: Since the lump is moderate in size, they may be concerned that the core samplings might not be representative of the whole lump, and they don't want to take a chance that something was missed. And since you have dense breast tissue, an MRI is better able to "see" through it than a mammogram, and thereby give them a better look at the suspicious lump/lesion. I would say they are being appropriately cautious.
But I am just "surmising" from a distance, and without all of your information available to me--a more reliable answer would have to obtained from your doctor(s), so please get in touch with them with your questions!
And when you have more information, or if I have misunderstood the situation thus far, please feel to write again.
Best wishes...
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