Bilateral Breast Scan Result - Please help.

day010807

Bilateral Breast Scan Result - Please help.

day010807

Hi everyone, I'm new to this form, just got the bilateral breast scan result today, and I'm quite concerned about what it means. (Sorry if i posted on the wrong part of the forum) Can someone explain this letter for me in a simpler form? or inform me if there is anything i should be aware of?

Basically, the letter says: at 6 o'clock position in the right breast there is an oval solid mass measuring 1 x 0.9 x 0.5 cm. It has a smooth margin. Adjacent to this is a tiny cyst.

In the upper outer aspect of the left breast at about the 2 o'clock position there is an area of shadowing with ill-defined margins measuring approx 1.1 x 1 x 0.7 cm. At the 3 o'clock position there is a second hypoechoic mass measuring 1 x 1 x 0.6cm, again the margins are not clearly defined. At 7 o'clock position there is a 6mm cyst.

The last paragraph is what worries me the most..Any help would be appreciated.

PS: my family has history of having breast cancer.

Thank you in advance..

leaf

I am so sorry you are going through this.



This means that at 6 o'clock, you have a solid mass, and next to this you have a cyst.



At 2 o'clock, you have an area that shows up 'light' (hypoechoic means in the ultrasound, the ultrasound waves don't bounce back as well as in ordinary tissue) echoes in 2 places, and you also have a cyst.



Cysts are almost always benign. Masses may or may not be.



Hypoechoic does not mean that you have definite cancer. Smooth margins in a mass suggest benign, but this is not an absolute rule. Unfortunately there are few rules in breast cancer.



The only way they can definitely diagnose cancer (or benign-ness) is with a biopsy.



Did they recommend biopsy? People are different, but you need to have your doctors keep testing until you are comfortable that this is benign. They may also be able to drain the cysts if they can locate them (I do not have any personal experience with cysts.)



Remember, 80% of biopsies in the US are benign. This figure holds even in women with a horrible family history of breast cancer. So statistics are in your favor, even if they did recommend a biopsy.

day010807

the doctor did recommend a biopsy, and this is regarding.. "there is an area of shadowing with ill-defined margins measuring approx 1.1 x 1 x 0.7 cm" ..

is it consider to be small?

*what should i do??

twink

Hello Day,

If I were you, I'd go for the biopsy and put your mind at ease.  The only way you'll know for certain what is going on is if they take a tissue sample and anayse it.  The biopsy process is a little stressful but well worth it to get conclusive answers.  Good luck to you.

lvtwoqlt

Day, we like to say, the best lump is a lump in a jar. without the biopsy, there is no way to get a good picture of what is going on. and 80% of the time, the tissue removed is b-9.

Sheila