Back from Mammo and U/S - have questions please (m)...

[spankyandrex]

Hi! I am 37. Had my mammo and us this am for a palpable abnormality in the upper outer left quadrant of breast which I just noticed over the last two weeks and for ongoing breast pain for about the last 6 weeks. My ob also felt the abormality and that's why he sent me. My Dr. should be calling me with the complete mammo/us results sometime today but in the meantime, have questions about my experience yesterday.

The mammo Dr. said he could not see anything abnormal other than the Aysemmitric breast tissue thingy in the left breast, but said could not see anything on my mammo. I think the tech was confused by what she saw, cause she was gone for a while showing the doc, so the tech then brought the doc in to show him on the screen the area she felt and he looked and looked and said "looks like fibrous tissue" (this was after he looked for a while and by the look on his face, I could tell he was not sure as well and frankly, I think he made a good guess on what "it" was.) Ok, I had that two years when I had my 1st mammo, it has not changed, I don't know he didn't really say. But it must have if I can feel it now and it's tender and what about the shooting pains in ONE breast that is surely not cyclic pain?

He said true.....he didn't know how to answer that. He then continued to say that mammos and u/s are not always the definitive diagnosis and don't always catch breast cancer. So I asked about a biopsy and whether or not you can "biopsy" fibrous tissue" and he said that was up to me and my Dr. So, can you? My Dr. did say that if I choose (mammo and us come out fine) I can have it excised, but then would he send it for lab work to confirm benign or malignant? I think that's the only thing that would put my mind at ease.

Has anyone here ever HAD cancer that did not show up on us/mammo but on a biopsy or an excision of fibrous tissue?

What do I do next? Let it rest or ease my mind and ask for the excisional since it's giving me so much grief?

Also is "fibrous tissue" usually also the same as a fibroadenoma?

Thanks for all your help!

[Amy1973]

I had a lump - had mammo and us.  It was visual on tests.  Had biospy it was b9.  Doc wanted to test is again in 6 months. Worried about lump asked to just have it removed. Removed it and found a 2nd lump.  That lump was not on us or mammo.  Once both were removed, they both were cancer.  I think they were both under 10mm and very small.  The smaller the lump the harder for it to be found.  Did he say anything about a MRI or PET scan.  These are both tests to look at cancer but usually used after you are dx with cancer but might be something to ask about.

I would ask for more testing to ease your mind.  I also wondered about removing mine, good thing that I did or I would not of found my cancer.  

I had cystic and fib lumps for years that were not cancer until I had my cancer.  You do not know until you remove then.  I am 33 and my mom is 59, she does not have bc but had lumps and cysts all her life.  Not sure why some are and some are not but you will not know until you have it tested.  

GOOD LUCK.  Plus, don't worry what it is until you know what it is! You'll drive yourself crazy!