Has anyone had a complex cyst aspirated/biopsied? If so...please comment.

[ddm967]

Please read & comment if you can:

I had an ultrasound done today on my left breast.  It was an area that was seen on a breast MRI that was labeled as a possible "COMPLEX CYST".  The radiologist viewing the MRI wanted me to have an ultrasound done to further evaluate the area  The MRI was a BIRADS 0--inconclusive & needed further evaluation.  After having the ultrasound today of that area the radiologist came out to talk to me in the hallway.  He said that he felt I had cystic disease but that I did have a complex cyst and there were several smaller cysts inside.  He said there was this area of one of the cysts that he couldn't see all that well and he felt due to my family history (mother had breast cancer at age 38) that I should probably have that tissue sampled by doing a needle aspiration or biopsy.  He said he didn't think it was anything to worry about, but he thought it best to send the tissue sample off for a test to be sure.  So I am having a needle aspiration tissue sample done on next Tuesday.  I'm very okay with that because I definitely want to be safe.

My question for the community is:  Has anyone else been diagnosed with a complex type cyst and had a biopsy of the cyst and if so...what were the results?  Did it turn out to be benign tissue/benign cyst?  or something more serious like a malignancy?  

I am just curious as to what percent of women out there have had something similar happen to them and what the outcome was.  I am hoping it's cystic disease as he believes it to be but at the same time I am concerned because he's not 100% confident about the cyst and wants a tissue sample done.  He must see something suspicious I think to want me to sample the cyst tissue.  The mammogram I had done in early June did NOT see this cyst on my left breast at 10:00, 5cm from the nipple.  The MRI saw it and the ultrasound found it today.  It's scary to think that the mammogram didn't see it.  Oh well....any comments or stories to share would be very helpful to me at this time.  It's going to be a long weekend for me thinking about this biopsy coming up Tuesday.  I tend to "over" worry about stuff before there's something to worry about.  I am going to try not to worry though.  I truly hope it's just a benign cyst that happens to be complex in nature.  

Thanks :-)

[andi721]

I had one years ago and they just stuck a needle in and aspirated it and then they always send it to pathology.  They called mine like a cluster of bubbles.  It is common if you have fibrocystic breasts.  Did your mom test for the Brac A and B genes?

[ddm967]

No my mother never tested for the BRAC genes.  She had cancer in the 80's and I don't think they were able to test for that back then.  Anyhow, she hasn't tested within the past 5 years anyway.  My sister and I have not tested for the genes either which we probably should do-- just so we know.  If this aspiration/biopsy thing would fortunately come back as benign then I'd talk with my doctor about getting the gene test done.  I sure do hope my situation is a cluster of cells too.  The Radiologist who talked to me didn't seem to be overly concerned but wanted to make sure due to my family history.  My Dr. didn't even recommend for me to have the MRI in the first place but I told her that I wanted it due to the fact that my sister had one earlier this year & she's younger than me.  I guess the situation with celebrity Christina Applegate prompted me and my sister to push for an MRI since MRI found Christina's cancer early on.  We  just wanted to  have a mammogram and MRI to compare notes.  

Perhaps the MRI was very sensitive and picked up a fibrocystic disease complex cyst.  Don't know and can only hope that. I hear MRI's cause a bunch of false positives and unnecessary biopsies.  That's probably true.  But I am truly scared about my situation.  I don't know if I'm getting a needle aspiration of the cyst or a biopsy because the radiologist said "TISSUE" sample, not aspirate the cyst.  I guess there's a solid area within the cluster of cells that he wants to take a look at (an area that he couldn't see so well from the ultrasound photos) so that's why I am having a tissue sample done.  Would that be different from a needle aspiration?  Do you think it would be called a biopsy instead since he wants to get a tissue sample or would a needle aspiration get a tissue sample too?  Not sure about it, guess I'll call over to the Breast Center where I'm having it done on Tuesday to see what they call it.  

Glad to hear that your situation turned out to be good news.  I hear it's very rare for breast cancer to evolve from cysts, but there's always a chance.  With 80% of complex cyst being nothing--there's the other 20 or so % that do turn out to be something.  I'm trying to be positive but at the same time I am envisioning what might be next in my future if they do find cancerous cells lurking inside this complex cell that was seen on the MRI.  My husband and I are in the process of fixing up a house we just bought to move into soon.  Everything would be put on HOLD if I get bad news.  We're both concerned and scared about this, but prepared to do whatever it takes so I can increase my chances of coming out of this thing in good shape for the future.  We're just going to pray it's a pre-caution move from the radiologist to have the needle aspiration done and that the results will come back as benign.  Think positive--I'm trying to do just that. :-)