Very scared - Please help!

Hi,

I have a very confusing situation and I hope someone can help me and give me more information.

I felt a lump in my left breast around a month ago. I went to see my doctor and he sent me for mammogram. The result of my mammogram was very promising. It said that nothing suspicious was found.

My doctor then sent me for an ultrasound and the result was "suspicous of carcinoma".

I discussed with my surgeon and he suggested to repeat the ultrasound in another facility. The radiologist in the second ultrasound told me that the suspicous lump is basically a collection of small cysts because he can see light going through the suspicious area.

I went to another sergeon (general surgeon) for second consultation. She did needle biopsy in her office and sent it for lab. I got the result a few days ago and it was a real shock. It says "the result is consistent with duct carcinoma".

Went back to my original surgeon (he is specialist in breast cancer) and he said FNA is not enought and he wants me to do a core needle biopsy (tomorrow).


Now I am confused. Any help is greatly appreciated.

[Cleveland Clinic]

Dear womanfromcanada:  In general, the concern with a FNA is that it does not remove much tissue and may be falsely negative.  If the FNA is positive, then a core biopsy would likely be positive.  So the question to ask a breast surgeon is what information will a core biopsy add?  If it is positive, then additional surgery, either lumpectomy or mastectomy will be needed.  If it is negative, can you be confident in this result given the results of the FNA or will an excisional biopsy then be needed?  Without reviewing all of the films and pathology, we cannot speculate on how we might proceed in this situation.