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MAMMOGRAM AND ULTRA SOUND RESULTS
I have recently received my report back from my Mammogram and Ultrasound and I have very scared. It reads a persistent lobulated nodular asymmetry in the superior left breast directly overlies a 1.1 cm hypoechoic nodule. An adjacent 0.7cm nodule also seen. I will now have have to have an ultrasound guided biopsy of the two areas. There is no axillary adenopathy present and the retroareloar tissue is unremarkable. No additional cystic or nodules are present. This seems to be large and my doctor tells me it is not in camparison to what it could be. What does this mean. The doctor tells me that if this is canerous that it seems to be caught very early. There is no signs of dimpling in the breat or any calcification in the nodules. HELP!!!!!! I am scared and confused......
Thank you so much for your suggestions. I have talked to a neighbor who had found breast cancer at the early stage and it runs in the family. She ended up having a double mastetomy. She recommended also to have a biopsy to put closure on the situation. I see my Dr. this Friday so I will know more. I am not very good at waiting and would like to put this to rest. It makes me feel good to hear from all of you that it is okay to ask for a biopsy and not sound like I am over reacting.
I'm all in favor of second opinions. I would ask your doctor to totally explain the report to you. Make sure you get a copy of the report to keep. If you are not completely comfortable with the discussion or can't make a decision on whether or not to have a biopsy, tell your doctor you'd like to get a second opinion. I have NEVER had a doctor make me feel bad for requesting a second opinion. Try to go to a top notch breast center for the second opinion. Having said all that, I personally feel it is reasonable to do 6 month follow-up for most BIRAD 3 problems. I have been doing 6-month follow-up for my own lumps and calcifications for a year (after 3 benign biopsies), but I am comfortable with that decision after discussing it with my surgeon.
IF I WERE YOU I WOULD MAKE SURE YOUR FULLY UNDERSTAND EVERYTHING IN THE REPORT. I KNOW THAT WAS ONE OF MY BIGGEST CONCERNS WITH MY SITUATION. NO ONE EXPLAINS THESE THINGS SO YOU CAN UNDERSTAND WHAT THEY ARE ACTUALLY CONCERNED ABOUT. FROM MY EXPERIENCE HAVING THE BIOPSY HAS PUT MY MIND TO REST. I DO NOT HAVE TO WAIT 6 MONTHS TO BE TOLD THAT I NEED MORE TESTS. I NOW KNOW IT IT BENIGN AND A FIBRANDENOMAS. THAT MAKES IT MUCH EASIER TO KNOW EXACTLY WHAT YOUR DEALING WITH. IT IS YOUR DECISION BUT MY DOCTORS DID NOT WANT TO WASTE TIME WITH CONFIRMING WHAT THESE LUMPS WERE. I WISH YOU ALL THE BEST IN YOUR SITUATION AND REMEMBER IT IS YOUR BODY AND LET THEM KNOW WHAT YOU WANT THEM TO DO. GOOD LUCK!!!!!!!!!
It's not really unreasonable to wait. If you haven't seen a breast specialist I would do so. I would also see my PCP. As a breast cancer survivior it is hard for me to tell you to wait 6 months. I wish you well.
I just had my 1st mammogram (coming up on 40 agh!). It came back abnormal so I went back for another mammo followed immediately by an ultrasound. I guess there is a spot on my left breast although I can't feel it. I got a letter from the hospital today that said there is an area that they believe is benign and follow up with another mammogram in 6 months. My Dr. office also called today and would like to see me to discuss the results. I have no family history of breast cancer. I guess I am asking should I insist on doing a biopsy or wait it out. I just want to have an informed decision before seeing the Dr. next week.
Yeah!!! Thanks for sharing your good news! It makes the day a bit brighter for all of us.
I just received my pathology report back today and ALL IS NEGATIVE FOR MALIGNANCY......I have to follow up with my annual mammogram and ultra-sounds. They are both Fibroandenomas with no atypical cells or microcalcifications.... I just wanted to thank everyone who posted and I will keep looking at the new postings.Thank you again
So happy for you.
How wonderful that the radiologist could be reassuring after your biopsy. It's interesting that for me it's been the radiologists that get me alarmed and my surgeon who settles me down...It will make the wait until Friday a bit easier.
I just wanted to give you an update. I went for the core biopsy on 6-25-07 and from what the radiologist and the unltra-sound tech that assisted told me that it has a 1% chance of it coming back as cancer. The two areas had no tell tale signs of being malignant. The radiologist who performed my biposy was the owner and head radilogist of the facility. He has been doing this for the last 37 years and was very concerned about how I was worring about this. I expalined how my doctor gave me the results and he said that is one of their worst problems. The GP's that get these results have no way of reading them to their patients and making them some what informed. Because my nodules were so deep in the tissue and not at the surface it was hard for them to tell exactly what it was. I am gong on his years of experience and medical professionalism. If they thought it was something they would not have said anything or given me those odd of 1%. I will continue to hope that this is what they are and I will be thinking of everyone else. I will keep u posted...
I will have the final word hopefully by Friday....
I will have the final word hopefully by Friday....
I don't know much about your problem but I do understand the stress of biopsies and waiting for results. With your family history I'm sure they want to make certain that the area is benign. Did the radiologist give it a BI-RADS 4 rating? If so, there's a great chance it will turn out to be benign. I hope all goes well for you.
Hi I am 34 and have just had my first breast ultrasound and mammogram due to family history. My other is 55 and has just had a lumpectomy and her mother died at age 55 from breast cancer. On the report it says that there is fibroglandular tissue and a biopsy is needed. I have read a few things on the net since I got home and I guess that is normal to request so they can see exactly what it is. I have a 7 yr old daughter and am getting married in 70 days from today, so I certainly hope it is not anything bad. I hope that does not sound selfish, I wish that nobody had to have anything bad happen to them.
Hi
I encourage all woman around the world to prevent breast cancer by doing autoexamination at home each month.
My work is to distribute the devices for autoexamination of breast cancer which I think every womeanshould have at home.
Lets beat breast cancer before it manifests.
anyone interested for the device can contact me.
Lts save peoples live from cancer.
***@****
I encourage all woman around the world to prevent breast cancer by doing autoexamination at home each month.
My work is to distribute the devices for autoexamination of breast cancer which I think every womeanshould have at home.
Lets beat breast cancer before it manifests.
anyone interested for the device can contact me.
Lts save peoples live from cancer.
***@****
Sorry for all the typos, but I only had 2 years of college and English was not my forte and this forum does not have spell check. LOL, (laugh out loud or Laugh A Lot, and as often as you can) Laughter is like a medicine to the soul. If I do not stop and laugh every now and then about situations in my life and health, I would just break down and cry. Also, I am dexlexic( boy there's a word to try to spell! ) I am hooked on phonics!, or phenetics, what ever the case may be. So, I just wanted to get off the subject for a minute and perhaps give us something else to think and laugh about. Please feel free to laugh at my spelling and laugh with me through our trials and victories, because, as my mother use to always say, "If god gives you lemons, then by god , you better start making some lemon-aide!"
I am still learning all of the terminology, so I am not eve sure what lobular nodular area means. I have learned how important it is to ask many, many questions, but of course you have to know what questions to ask. I only did a little amount of basic research and have come somewhat overwhelmed by all the details. I am not trying to be stupid, but placed a great deal of trust in god and the docotrs explanations and recommendations. I needed to concentrate and believe that no matter what it was going to be ok and that God would place me in the right hands or guide their hands to the best diagnosis and car as possible. I call it a leap of faith, not blind trust. At any rate. My mass was located at the 1 o'clock postion, 6 inches above my nipple and 4 inches in and away from arm pit.. I did not feel it during any previous self exams, but probalby did not do them well enough in that area. It was really high. My gyno reassured me, when I asked why did I not feel it,? "We do not have x-ray ahnds" After I was told of the exact location, I could then feel it. The important thing is that it was detected and during a routine mammo and how glad me and my husband were with my committment to having them done every year. During the ultrasound, it was not mentioned as to whther or not lymph nodes were affected. This one small lump was the only abnormality they found during all tests and exams. However, when the surgeon did a pre-op exam, which was after the biopsy results, he said he could not even feel it. He said it was possible that the biopsy decreased the size to make it no longer palpable. He is what I believ. 2 days before his exam., a stranger in church whispered in my ear, "Cancer, dissolve and be gone!" I accepted it and believed it as a direct word from god, as I had not told anyone that I even had cancer. I had just been told 2 days prior of my diagnoses from the biopsy and needless to say I was still in shock!. When I heard these words, I had such a sense of peace and was kind of on automatic pilot after that. I just kept doing what the docotrs said to do and was very fortunate to get appointment in a matter of days and then surgery in less than 1 week. A few hours before surgery I had two other procedures done. One was a sentinole node thing where they injected dye into and around the are. This was done by the same doctor who performed the biopsy. He said the dye would travel or drain the the nearset nodes in volved with this particul duct and then help the surgeon determine which ones were "HOT". the surgeon explained that hot was rated by a percentage of how much dye the nodes took up. the 1st or closest one was 50 or 60 %, the 2nd nose was at 15% and the 3rd on which took up dye was 3%. He removed only the first two, because he said as he tried to get the 3rd, it was really deep and he did not want ot "dig" that deep. It was next to my rib and his attempt to remove the 3rd one di cause what I believe was an large amount of additional pain post-op and healing wise. The lymph node site was the most irritated and painfull. I was scheduled, post-op to see the surgeon two weeks later, but I was in so much pain and afraid that it was not normal, (But hey, I had never, ever, had surgery before for anything before). Pain was normal, especially with all the "diggin around" he did to try to get the 3rd node. He gave me a stronger pain med. I also used a rolled up kitchen towel and placed it in my arm pit for additional compression and that really helped the pain and brusing to resolve. My bra , although very supportive, did not cove that ear. The actual incision site has completely healed, except for what the are calling residual nerve ending, healing pain. It feels like a knife or electrical shock ripping through my arm pit and on the outside area of my arm if II extend it too quickly or abruptly. It is the weirdest sensation, but the shocks are getting lees and less. The other area where the lump was removed got extremely bruised and the bruise and pain moved in and about to cover my entire breat, as it still continues to heal. I think, because of gravity and all, that hematomas or blood pooling cause most of the bruising , hardnes and pain, but is it so much better now. I plan to go back to work Tuesday, next week. I see my surgeon for another post-op exam Monday. I was never given a Stage #, but I thing this is due to the fact that there was not any cancer cells dtected in the lump which was removed during surgery. Oh yeah, the other procedure I had done just minutes before surgery was a needle localization. I was told this was necessary since the lump was so small. It would actually grab into the lump and then the docotr could make sure he was excising the correct area. So, back to pathology. No cancer detected in lump and both lymph nodes were negative. Of cousre this rose suspicions with the surgeon and oncologist, so I am havingan MRI on the 21st, on both breasts, to make sure nothing else is goin on. Further treatment will then be determine on the 26th, when I go back to my oncologist. Again, I have been told that radiation, at the minimum while be recommended and even though I of course have the option not to do it, my oncologist says he strongly recommends it since a lumpectomy and not a masectomy was done. This is to treat locally and help prevent any re-occurrance. Although I am not real keen about being radiated, I what to take every effort and or treatment that will give the the most assurance of this nasty diseae from ever coming back, even though it was infiltrating but apparently did not go very far. I was told that infiltraing or the invasive type meant that it was not isolated to just the duct and that is why the surgeon removed a golf ball size of surrounding tissue for what was smaller than a pea size lump. I hope this information helps and I appreciate any and all you can give me, as I am still contemplating the radiation.
Thank you for your posting. I am very nervous and I have already tried to get my self ready for the worst situation. Was your nodule located in the Lobular nodule area. That is where my two are. They are right next to each other. When I had my first daughter 5 years ago that is the side of the breast I had a very hard time with when my milk dried up. I do not know if this is a possibility. The cancer you were diagnosed with was the invasive ductual type but had not spread to any other areas. That is great. When you had your untrasound done did they say that nothing was noted in your lymph nodes? If I may ask was this something you felt or that was found my a yearly mammogram? Mine is not able to be felt at all and only came up on the mammogram and ultrasound. What have they told you when it comes to re-occurrance of this disease in the same or other breast. What stage did they say it was once it was removed. I hope I am not asking tooo many questions. I too am very scared and I have a family I am thinking about. I am only 33 and I have a-lot of work to do to raise my two young children. i look forward to hearing back from you.
My heart and prayers go out to you. The not knowing is very scary. In April of this year, during a routine mammogram, an abnormality was detected. I then had a compression mammaogram and then an ultrasound. Both still warranted further investigation. The lump was very small. It was 0.8cm and the doctors seemed very optomistic and hopefull due to it's size and being found early. I hoped for the best. The next step was an ultrsound guided biopsy. Just so you know, most breasts are bound with tape and an ace bandage for 24 hours after the biopsy and of course depending on the area you may be quite sore for a few days. The best thing to do is to keep an ice pack on the area every 15 minutes off and on every 20 minutes for the entire 1st 24 hours. This is very important. They should also tell you, that if they have to go through a milk duct, that you may bleed from the nipple, but that is normal. I did not . By the next day I was no longer sore, ICE WAS THE KEY! Because my job is physical, I could not work for 3 days becuase of the lifting and bending would most likely aggrivate the site. I pray that the pathology comes back with normal tissue. Mine came back as infiltrating ductile carcinoma. I HIT THE FLOOR! No ones like to hear the word cancer. But, there is always hope. I began to pray and decided and believed that what ever God had in mind that he would turn it around for his good. He did. The mass was removed on June 15th with a lumpectomy and removing 2 lymph nodes and no cancer was even found. I truly believe it was a miracle. Early detection and power of prayer can only be for the best. I thank God for both.I am going to have an MRI so the doctors can make sure nothing else is going on and will also do the radiation treatment. I would do it all again to save my breast. Keep your hopes up!
I'm sorry I don't know anything about stromal fibrosis. But I do understand your worry. Does anything show up on mammograms and ultrasounds? I wonder if it would be possible to have your records sent to a breast specialist at a major teaching hospital for a second opinion. But, I imagine that would delay things for you. It's especially tough when this keeps happening over and over to you, and I understand your desire to have it over ( with a double masectomy), but at the same time, I would hate to have you base that decision on the surgeon having had only 1 similar case. I sure hope you can find some answers.
thank you so much for sharing your stories...here is mine...
I am a 29 year old woman living in Trinidad, in the Caribbean. Last July I had a very small lump removed from just under the nipple and areola at 6 o
I am a 29 year old woman living in Trinidad, in the Caribbean. Last July I had a very small lump removed from just under the nipple and areola at 6 o
My first biopsy was a solid lump that got larger over the year we watched it. My next two biopsies were for calcifications in the same quadrant as the first biopsy. I have numerous lumps in various areas of the breast that they consider fibroadenomas and cysts that we are monitoring. They're not worried about the lumps, just about the calcifications in that same quadrant as all 3 previous biopsies. I'm finding a big part of a surgeon's decision whether to biopsy or not is due to a woman's past breast history and risk factors. But, then, some surgeons feel all lumps should be removed.
It's good that there are not any suspicious calcification near your lumps because calcifications + suspicious lump(s) raises the liklihood of cancer quite a bit. Some calcifications are normal as we age, but with malignant/premalignant conditions, there is an abnormal production and turn over or death of cells. With cell death, calcium is a by-product - thus the formation of calcifications. (This is one theory of why calcifications can indicate a malignancy. Benign calcifications appear for other reasons.) Of course, calcifications do not have to appear in order for a lump to be malignant.
You're doing a good job of staying on top of things by asking questions and researching on your own. It's frustrating that they don't explain the reports to you.
I'm glad you have your 10 year anniversary to focus on while you wait.
It's good that there are not any suspicious calcification near your lumps because calcifications + suspicious lump(s) raises the liklihood of cancer quite a bit. Some calcifications are normal as we age, but with malignant/premalignant conditions, there is an abnormal production and turn over or death of cells. With cell death, calcium is a by-product - thus the formation of calcifications. (This is one theory of why calcifications can indicate a malignancy. Benign calcifications appear for other reasons.) Of course, calcifications do not have to appear in order for a lump to be malignant.
You're doing a good job of staying on top of things by asking questions and researching on your own. It's frustrating that they don't explain the reports to you.
I'm glad you have your 10 year anniversary to focus on while you wait.
I have never gone through this before. The reports that we are given are very overwhelming. It is like speaking a foreign language. I was told that the size of the mass means a-lot in the early detection of cancer. There are two one measures 1.0 cm and the other is 0.7cm. My doctor has said that they are small in size. They seem to be located in the lobular nodules and not affecting any lymph nodes or surrounding tissue. Were your biopsied sites solid masses? These seem to be solid and that makes me very scared. I guess I will wait and try to keep my mind off it for a while. We have our 10 yr wedding anniversary renewal ceremony the day before the biopsy. Well thank you again for your thoughts and I will keep this posted with my progress.
It is really helpful for others who come to this site to hear the results of people's biopsies so I hope you do keep us posted. Just remember that a high percentage of BI-RADS 4 biopsies are benign. I've had 3 benign BI-RADS 4 biopsies and hope you will be as fortunate. Sorry you have to wait so long for your biopsy. I honestly think that's the hardest part. It always helped me to try to find something coming up that I was looking forward to and dwell on that. I know, easier said than done. But if you can find positives to dwell on it does make the wait more bearable.
Thank you for your concern. The Birad -4 means it is a solid mass and needs to be looked into further. I have an appointment on 6-25-07 at 12:30 pm. They do not tell you much but they do give you a-lot of time to think about way toooo much stuff. I do feel lucky that it was found by mistake. They sent me for a mammo because they thought they felt something on the right side. Thay was nothing and they wound up finding out that the left side is very dense and that is where they solid mass was found. It seems to be small in size says the doctor. That does not make me feel any better. I have a-lot of cancer in my family but not breast cancer. What made me very upset was that they do not even expalin all the terminology of the report to you. They just say this is very serious and we need to get this biopsied as soon as possible. Then you start to read on things and find out more than they explained to you. I learned more by reading everyone postings here and my own research than I did by the doctor. I will make a posting once I have had the test and get the results. Thanks again for your response.
Being told we need a biopsy is soooooo stressful, but remember a very high percentage of biopsies are benign. What is the BI-RADS rating on the radiology report? Most of the time the biopsies themselves aren't that bad; it's the waiting for results that drives us nuts. I hope your biopsy can be scheduled soon so you can get some answers.
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