statistic for breast biopsy in USA

[eduardo59]

How many breast biopsies per year are performed in USA?
Do you know how many are biopsies guided for ultrasound? How many for MRI ? How many stereotactic?
Best source to find this information?

[mamaboulet]

Here's another comment for people to mull over. Some breast cancer researchers working with clinics in Canada have begun to push a connection between fibrocystic breasts and increased breast cancer risk. Originally it was thought that the only connection was that dense breasts tend to mask the ability for imaging to find cancer. However, some of the Canadian researchers are pushing a stronger connection, in terms of fibrocystic breasts actually having a greater risk of breast cancer. For all of you out there with dense, fibrocystic breasts (like me, even so after menopause), this is very important research. We need to push American researchers to follow up on this instead of dismissing it all as a masking effect. We have a right to know if we are really at greater risk. No assumptions. We want research.

[mamaboulet]

I bring this up because I should have been able to walk away and forget my breasts for a while, healthwise, at least until my annual mammo, but instead I lurk on breast cancer sites, living in fear until my next mammo. My doctor did not even talk to me about the common practice of 6 month follow-up for negative BIRAD-5 biopsies, even though there is some concern in these cases that the right area was biopsied or biopsied enough. NOTHING from my doctor because I got a little testy with her staff over the whole sloppy procedure. The whole thing was a mess from beginning to end. During the follow-up mammo and ultrasound that led to the biopsy, the imaging staff went from joking and talking to death faces in a matter of minutes after my results came in. Then I got the bad news/good new talk from the radiologist. Not a single word from him about why (no mention of the BIRAD result), just telling me that it was VERY likely I had cancer (bad news) but that it looked like it hadn't spread. I was in shock. Drove home alone in shock. Waited to hear from my doctor. Nothing. The imaging center said they would send the mammo/ultrasound results over that afternoon. Nothing. I had to call. They said they got the results but figured I could wait until the end of the week (4 days later) for my regular appointment. I blew up. They looked closer at the report and came back on the phone sounding like those imaging people (that's what happens with BIRAD-5. It says "highly suspicious for malignancy" which of course freaks everybody out, including me).
In the end I had to go to hospital records to pick up and decipher my own biopsy report because my doctor took an extended weekend and never EVER called me again. I have now changed doctors, and when my annual mammo rolls around this summer I'm going to explain to him that I expect careful checking of results, proper notification of possible issues, and nobody telling me I have cancer until they have the ******* results in their hands.
And I am planning to discuss this whole issue with my local breast health organization. Would have done it sooner but have really suffered with the anxiety and fear (my mother had breast cancer at age 46. I am 53).
This whole anxiety issue needs to be formally addressed. I am climbing on my soapbox and asking all you women to join this fight to bring consistent protocol to breast health issues.

[Cowgirl37]

AMEN !!!!!  HIGH ANXIETY to put it mildly...I ended up in the hospital with arrhythmias due to waiting, lost paperwork, careless office staff, etc.etc.  I can't get in to see a breast surgeon until April 4th and I'll just have to wait it out.  My radiologist sent a STAT report to my "other/former" surgeon and the office lost it!!!  I had to fax it to them myself 2 days later.  I am not seeing him anymore because I can't trust them with medical records, let alone my breasts!  Now I have to wait to see this new surgeon, but I hear she is the best around, so I'll just wait it out.  I wish they did have a protocol or procedure set up to inform the patient of what is going on.  It certainly would be appreciated.  And I want to thank you for bringing this up.

[mamaboulet]

I don't know the specific numbers in your questions, but you can find a lot of statistical information at the major breast cancer sites (type breast biopsy statistics into google for a start).
I do know that the number of breast biopsies in the US is quite high compared to elsewhere, with the result being a "general" statistic of about 20% of biopsies coming back as malignant. Somebody correct me if I have this wrong. More statistical refinement can be found in the BIRAD classification. Some of the BIRAD information on the Internet is contradictory. I was assessed at a BIRAD-5 (the highest pre-biopsy classification), but if you look at various statistics for the 5 category you will see everything from 60% to greater than 95%. I'm still uncertain why those numbers vary so much from site to site. Anyway, even a 5 gets a break. I had fat necrosis, which is a somewhat uncommon (but not rare) occurrence that looks really scary in its late stages, as in BIRAD-5 scary.
Anyway, my point is that US statistics represent a proactive approach to breast cancer through early detection.
Some other interesting statistical questions you might research. More proactive approach means more DCIS discovered and treated. This is kinda new. And changes the general cancer statistics.
Another issue is anxiety. More mammo and ultrasound callbacks, more anxiety. And this leads to my most important question. Why is the protocol for processing breast biopsies, etc. so varied and mostly unresponsive to the massive anxiety that all these tests are producing? In many places, the biopsy results are ready in days, yet doctors don't call, no medical assistant to answer questions, reports sent by snail mail, blah blah blah. Many women, myself included, are left with longterm anxiety that feels like some sort of post traumatic stress. I'm thinking that local breast health organizations need to get involved in helping doctors set up more consistent and responsive protocols for dealing with high anxiety issues like breast biopsies. Contact your local organization and push them or join them.