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Stereotactic breast biopsy with a vacuum
Hello, A few days ago I had a stereotactic breast biopsy that was done with a vacuum attachment. They did this to test microcalcifications. They told me prior to the procedure I would basically just feel some pressure during the procedure. I actually felt the pain of the needle cutting me - is that normal? and then I was lightheaded. Later they said they hit an artery. I did see a good deal of blood on the mammography machine after the procedure. Is that normal? And now I have a hematoma which is supposed to be very rare according to what I've read. I'm very black and blue and purple in a large area where the procedure was done. I'm really afraid that this is not the norm and maybe they did something wrong? This on top of the fear of getting the results is making me crazy. Please help...
I just wanted to say I'm also sorry to hear you had such a difficult time with your biopsy. Fortunately, that's not the norm, but that doesn't help much when you're the one who has the bad experience.
I'd also like to let you know I was diagnosed with LCIS in Oct. '09, so I can empathize with you. Unfortunately, it's pretty rare, so not as much is known
about it as DCIS and there isn't as much research on it. To be honest, I'm sometimes really frustrated with this diagnosis so I can understand how you feel. I hope you may have had your appointment with the surgeon already and have some of your questions answered. If not, I hope it's scheduled soon. I'd be happy to share my experiences with you or just provide some support or a place to vent. You can send me a note or private message any time you wish and I promise to respond.
I'm sincerely hoping nothing else ever develops beyond your LCIS and
I'm wishing you all the best.
Hugs,
nc
I'd also like to let you know I was diagnosed with LCIS in Oct. '09, so I can empathize with you. Unfortunately, it's pretty rare, so not as much is known
about it as DCIS and there isn't as much research on it. To be honest, I'm sometimes really frustrated with this diagnosis so I can understand how you feel. I hope you may have had your appointment with the surgeon already and have some of your questions answered. If not, I hope it's scheduled soon. I'd be happy to share my experiences with you or just provide some support or a place to vent. You can send me a note or private message any time you wish and I promise to respond.
I'm sincerely hoping nothing else ever develops beyond your LCIS and
I'm wishing you all the best.
Hugs,
nc
I want to thank you so very much. All of your words of support and information really put me in a better position to have an intelligent conversation with my surgeon. God bless!
I just want to say thank you. Between you and zouzi I feel better knowing I'll be able to have a more intelligent conversation with my surgeon... Your help has been a real blessing!
Hi again,
I can fully understand how you feel! .We certainly were hoping for a better outcome,but you have no reason to panic about your results,since LCIS is not that bad and is highly curable.
Please read the following text from the Stanford Medicine.I think it will be more useful to you than any additional information I could provide and I hope it helps.
Please keep in mind that ONLY your Surgeon will be your best source of information...Searching over the internet is not really advisable because it will confuse you even more than you may think.After reading the text below, you can at least have some clues on what to ask your surgeon when you'll meet him/her.
I wish you all the best...
-----------------------------
From the STANFORD MEDICINE - Cancer Center Website:
Lobular Carcinoma in situ (LCIS)
Although the name includes the term carcinoma, lobular carcinoma in situ (LCIS) is not really cancer, but rather a noninvasive condition that increases the risk of developing cancer in the future. LCIS, also known as lobular neoplasia or stage 0 breast cancer, occurs when abnormal cells accumulate in the breast lobules. Each breast has hundreds of milk producing lobules, which are connected to the milk ducts. In LCIS, the abnormal cells are often found throughout the breast lobules and both breasts are affected about 30 percent of the time.
Although most doctors don’t think that LCIS itself becomes breast cancer, about 25 percent of patients who have LCIS will develop breast cancer at some point in their lifetime.This increased risk applies to both breasts, regardless of which breast is affected with LCIS, and can manifest as invasive cancer in either the lobules or ducts.
Diagnosis:
Lobular carcinoma in situ (LCIS) is not visible on a mammogram, and often does not cause symptoms. Therefore, the condition is typically discovered when doctors are doing a breast biopsy for other reasons, for example when investigating an unrelated breast lump or calcification.It is the abnormal appearance of cells under a microscope that indicates that LCIS is present.
Treatment:
Deciding how to treat lobular carcinoma in situ (LCIS) can be complicated because the condition itself is not cancerous and the majority of people with LCIS do not ever develop cancer; yet, it is known that they have a higher risk of developing cancer in the future.
Typically, people with LCIS simply increase their surveillance for breast cancer, having multiple physical exams each year, and mammograms once or twice a year. This allows doctors to identify breast cancer at the earliest, most treatable stage if it does occur.
In rare instances, a patient with LCIS will choose to undergo a mastectomy, which although drastic is proven to reduce the risk of developing breast cancer in the future. This option is most commonly reserved for men or women with a family history of breast cancer and/or a known genetic mutation that dramatically increases the risk of developing breast cancer above the risk imparted by a LCIS diagnosis.
Studies have also shown that taking the hormone Tamoxifen reduces the risk of developing breast cancer in post-menopausal women who have been diagnosed with LCIS. In addition, women over the age of 35 with LCIS who are at treated at the Cancer Center have access to a similar drug, Raloxifene, that may also reduce the risk of developing breast cancer. Cancer Center physicians are participating in a clinical trial called STAR, where the effectiveness of Raloxifene is being compared to that of Tamoxifen for the prevention of breast cancer in high risk women.
Your cancer center physician will be able to discuss each of these options with you in more detail, and help to guide your treatment decision to the one most appropriate for your specific situation.
I can fully understand how you feel! .We certainly were hoping for a better outcome,but you have no reason to panic about your results,since LCIS is not that bad and is highly curable.
Please read the following text from the Stanford Medicine.I think it will be more useful to you than any additional information I could provide and I hope it helps.
Please keep in mind that ONLY your Surgeon will be your best source of information...Searching over the internet is not really advisable because it will confuse you even more than you may think.After reading the text below, you can at least have some clues on what to ask your surgeon when you'll meet him/her.
I wish you all the best...
-----------------------------
From the STANFORD MEDICINE - Cancer Center Website:
Lobular Carcinoma in situ (LCIS)
Although the name includes the term carcinoma, lobular carcinoma in situ (LCIS) is not really cancer, but rather a noninvasive condition that increases the risk of developing cancer in the future. LCIS, also known as lobular neoplasia or stage 0 breast cancer, occurs when abnormal cells accumulate in the breast lobules. Each breast has hundreds of milk producing lobules, which are connected to the milk ducts. In LCIS, the abnormal cells are often found throughout the breast lobules and both breasts are affected about 30 percent of the time.
Although most doctors don’t think that LCIS itself becomes breast cancer, about 25 percent of patients who have LCIS will develop breast cancer at some point in their lifetime.This increased risk applies to both breasts, regardless of which breast is affected with LCIS, and can manifest as invasive cancer in either the lobules or ducts.
Diagnosis:
Lobular carcinoma in situ (LCIS) is not visible on a mammogram, and often does not cause symptoms. Therefore, the condition is typically discovered when doctors are doing a breast biopsy for other reasons, for example when investigating an unrelated breast lump or calcification.It is the abnormal appearance of cells under a microscope that indicates that LCIS is present.
Treatment:
Deciding how to treat lobular carcinoma in situ (LCIS) can be complicated because the condition itself is not cancerous and the majority of people with LCIS do not ever develop cancer; yet, it is known that they have a higher risk of developing cancer in the future.
Typically, people with LCIS simply increase their surveillance for breast cancer, having multiple physical exams each year, and mammograms once or twice a year. This allows doctors to identify breast cancer at the earliest, most treatable stage if it does occur.
In rare instances, a patient with LCIS will choose to undergo a mastectomy, which although drastic is proven to reduce the risk of developing breast cancer in the future. This option is most commonly reserved for men or women with a family history of breast cancer and/or a known genetic mutation that dramatically increases the risk of developing breast cancer above the risk imparted by a LCIS diagnosis.
Studies have also shown that taking the hormone Tamoxifen reduces the risk of developing breast cancer in post-menopausal women who have been diagnosed with LCIS. In addition, women over the age of 35 with LCIS who are at treated at the Cancer Center have access to a similar drug, Raloxifene, that may also reduce the risk of developing breast cancer. Cancer Center physicians are participating in a clinical trial called STAR, where the effectiveness of Raloxifene is being compared to that of Tamoxifen for the prevention of breast cancer in high risk women.
Your cancer center physician will be able to discuss each of these options with you in more detail, and help to guide your treatment decision to the one most appropriate for your specific situation.
Hi,
The words cancer and carcinoma, (which mean the same thing) are always frightening, but according to Dr. Susan Love, the well-known breast surgeon and author, "LCIS is a noninvasive precancer. Lobular means that the unusual cells are in the lobules, the parts of the breast capable of making milk. If you have LCIS it means that you have abnormal cells in the lining of a lobule. Even though LCIS contains the word carcinoma, which means 'cancer,' LCIS is not cancer and it is not life threatening."
Others consider LCIS, and especially DCIS, to be cancer, but whatever the nonmenclature, the outlook is good.
By the way, you may be too young to be on hormone replacement therapy (HRT), but if by some chance you are taking it, you should be aware that combination HRT has been found to increase the risk for LCIS.
I am sending you a link to additional information about LCIS in a private message.
Best wishes,
bluebutterfly
The words cancer and carcinoma, (which mean the same thing) are always frightening, but according to Dr. Susan Love, the well-known breast surgeon and author, "LCIS is a noninvasive precancer. Lobular means that the unusual cells are in the lobules, the parts of the breast capable of making milk. If you have LCIS it means that you have abnormal cells in the lining of a lobule. Even though LCIS contains the word carcinoma, which means 'cancer,' LCIS is not cancer and it is not life threatening."
Others consider LCIS, and especially DCIS, to be cancer, but whatever the nonmenclature, the outlook is good.
By the way, you may be too young to be on hormone replacement therapy (HRT), but if by some chance you are taking it, you should be aware that combination HRT has been found to increase the risk for LCIS.
I am sending you a link to additional information about LCIS in a private message.
Best wishes,
bluebutterfly
Thanks so much for your reply and good wishes. I'm a nervous wreck but am trying to keep it together. Today I got the results. The good news is they say I don't have cancer at the moment. Bad news is that I have something called lobular carcinoma in situ which puts me at a high risk for it in the future or this may even be a precursor to cancer. To me the word carcinoma sounds like cancer. The radiologist says I have atypical cells & recommends I go to a surgeon for surgical excision . I'm now frantically going to research whatever I can about this online because I'm clueless. But, again, I really appreciate your support.
Hi,
Sorry to hear that you had a bad experience with your biopsy,unfortunately this happens sometimes when the needle hits a nerve or an artery as it happened to you..Many factors will effect the individual experience such as type of biopsy, location, bruising, degree of swelling etc.
Bruising/hematoma after a biopsy is scary, but it's not that unusual, and can extend even beyond the area of the biopsy site.The bruising will eventually fade within a few weeks.At times even a lump (where blood has collected and clotted)could develop and you may want to let your surgeon know just to be sure this would be expected with what was done with the biopsy.Also contact your surgeon if you notice excessive swelling, redness or heat in the breast.
Waiting for the biopsy results is very stressing ....but try not to worry too much because a high percentage of microcalcification biopsies are found to be benign and I hope that your results will state the same.
All the best to you and good luck.
Sorry to hear that you had a bad experience with your biopsy,unfortunately this happens sometimes when the needle hits a nerve or an artery as it happened to you..Many factors will effect the individual experience such as type of biopsy, location, bruising, degree of swelling etc.
Bruising/hematoma after a biopsy is scary, but it's not that unusual, and can extend even beyond the area of the biopsy site.The bruising will eventually fade within a few weeks.At times even a lump (where blood has collected and clotted)could develop and you may want to let your surgeon know just to be sure this would be expected with what was done with the biopsy.Also contact your surgeon if you notice excessive swelling, redness or heat in the breast.
Waiting for the biopsy results is very stressing ....but try not to worry too much because a high percentage of microcalcification biopsies are found to be benign and I hope that your results will state the same.
All the best to you and good luck.
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