Painful Breast Mass - Burning - Birads Category IV

[SUNNYSTAR]

I'v had a right breast lump for 3-4 years that doctor has been monitoring via ultrasound. diagnosis was fibroadenoma. however the mass has been growing. doctor failed to notify me that the mass grew from the November 2005 ultrasound compared to 2004. i went for a mammogram June 2006 and birads category was 0. i went for an ultrasound 2 weeks later and it shows as a well circumscribed mass that measures 1.8 x .9 x 1.65 cm. it is solid. it has fairly well circumscribed margins. birads catergory IV, suspicious. recommendation ultrasound guided biopsy. needle core biopsy performed a week later and revealed breast tissue with focal stromal fibrosis. no evidence of atypia or malignancy. comments: correlation with the imaging studies is recommended. surgeon is not comfortable leaving tumour will remove it in one week. the lump hurts and i get a burning throbbing sensation on my breast and on my underarm. my question is could this still be malignant? are biopsies accurate?

[CCF-RN,MSN-rf]

Dear sunnystar:  A BIRADs 4 means that this is a suspicious abnormality. Most category 4 abnormalities are benign but may require biopsy since this category can be malignant in 25-50% of cases.  A core biopsy is accurate in terms of the cells that were sampled.  The concern is that the needle could not examine all of the cells in the lump.  If there are any doubts about the nature of the lump, physicians will often recommend removing the whole thing so that it can be examined pathologically in its entirety.  

[cyn17]

It is safe to say that everyone on this site has been through the same experience as you. First, try not to be worried (easier said than done). I have dense breasts and need an ultrasound literally after every mammogram. Ultrasounds are needed when something is suspicious on the mammo or the mammo just isn't clear enough to be read. In MOST cases, NO further treatment is needed after an ultrasound, so the odds are in your favor. Based on my experience, I wouldn't waste time worrying about having an ultrasound.

[elovia]

Hello



My name is Sophie and I have a painful lump in my right breast and im very scared.  I have had an ultrasound and I have to go back for another xray.  H as anyone else had the same experience that we could discuss.

[MARGO12986]

A related discussion, Painful breast lump was started.