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Breast Cancer (Expert Forum)
Does "Increased blood flow to lesion" mean higher chance of malignancy?
Answered by
Cleveland Clinic - Breast cancer
Cleveland - OH
Questions posted in the Breast Cancer Forum are answered by medical professionals from The Cleveland Clinic. Topics include Breast Biopsy, Chemotherapy, Hormone Therapy, Lumps, Lumpectomy, Lymph node dissection, Lymphedema, Mammograms, Mastectomy, Radiation Therapy, Reconstruction, Self Breast Exam, and Surgery.
Does "Increased blood flow to lesion" mean higher chance of malignancy?
by Jennifer207, Jun 17, 2009 12:49PM
Hi - I am a 40 yr. old w/no family history of breast cancer, only colon cancer. I had a breast reduction & lift 5 yrs ago and immediately post-op contracted a staph infection in my left breast. An area of hard tissue developed, and remained unchanged to the touch until I discovered what felt like a small, sharper lump on top of it in late Aug 2008. Mammos & ultrasound followed in Oct., then indentation appeared just under lump I felt, then biopsy in Nov., which came back fat necrosis, although they didn't exactly get area I felt. Then rcvd word that biopsy may not be okay, so a steriotactic biopsy was performed in Dec 2008 which went deeper (still not lump I felt) and came back as fat necrosis. After both biopsies, indentation virtually non-existent. Follow-up mammo & ultrasound 5/19/09 follow-up mammo showed dense area w/cluster of microcalcifications, ultrasound showed "change" to area. MRI in early june (w/in 10 days of start of my cycle) showed area that "lit up the screen" w/increased blood flow to lesion - all tests coincided w/area I originally felt. Just had biopsy on Monday and awaiting results. My question is if the area with increased blood flow is not malignant, what else could it be? Someone told me they had a fibroedema(sp?) that showed increased blood flow, but from description doesn't sound like what I have.
Any info you have would be most appreciated!
Thank you!
Any info you have would be most appreciated!
Thank you!
Doctor's Answer
by Cleveland Clinic, Jun 17, 2009 02:06PM
, Jun 17, 2009 02:06PM
Dear Jennifer207, Increased blood flow finding increases suspicion of an area and further investigation would be recommended. As to what else besides malignancy could be causing this increased blood flow it is difficult to say or to reassure you completely. Perhaps there has been a change in blood flow since surgery there could be a benign tumor such as a fibroadenoma altering blood flow. The testing all gives different pieces of information that can be more or less suspicious. A biopsy however is what is needed in order to clarify the findings.
