Not diagnosed and scared

Justknw111

I went for my annual mammo on 12/19/11 and recieved a call from my gyno on the 22nd informing me that they found a nodule on my left breast and that the mammo was incomplete - BIRAD=0 and that I need to call right away and make an appt for a diag mammo and u/s.  The earliest appt that I could get is this Thursday, Jan 5th.  So this past week has been a living hell for me.  I have always been told in the past, "you have very dense breasts" but I have never been called back before and a nodule has never been found before.  What do they meen by a nodule?  I am 43 years old and I don't have any family history of BC but I have been on birth control for many years (for hormonal migraine headaches) and I'm just hoping that because of my dense breasts that this nodule was not always there and was missed?  Uggggh - help!

Beesie

A nodule is simply a small mass. It could be anything.  

I've had lots of nodules show up over the years.  When I was younger, they were fibroadenomas.  Then I had one that turned out to be deposit of fatty tissue that had managed to form itself into a small mass. In my 40s as I became pre-menopausal, I started to get cysts - lots and lots of cysts.  All those conditions are totally benign and harmless.  

Different screening methods 'see' different things.  For example, a cyst is fluid filled.  On an ultrasound and an MRI, the fluid in the center of the cyst shows up quite clearly, making it easy to identify a mass as being a cyst.  But on a mammogram, a cyst simply looks like any other nodule.  Mammograms, on the other hand, are better than ultrasounds at "seeing" some other things such as calcifications (which are very common and usually are harmless but can be a sign of breast cancer).  

You are being sent for the diagnostic mammo (which provides a magnified, and therefore clearer/more precise view of the area of concern) and an ultrasound because it's hoped that with these additional views, it will be possible to identify whatever the nodule is as being something that is harmless and benign, like a cyst.  If it can't be identified, then the next step would be a biopsy. Even if you are sent for a biopsy, it doesn't mean that you have cancer or even have a likelihood of having cancer - it just means that the films don't tell the doctors enough so that cancer can be ruled out (with about 98% certainty) and therefore a biopsy must be done to find out what the nodule is. 80% of biopsies turn out to be benign.  And in fact 95% of women who are called back for additional views, as you have been, turn out to not have breast cancer.

The following chart showing the diagnostic process might help you.  You are at the Diagnostic Workup stage.  

http://www.imaginis.com/breast-health/overview-of-breast-cancer-diagnosis-decision-process

Justknw111

Thank you So much for your very informative response...it has made me feel less afraid.



Sherri

Tenmom

Nodule is scary sounding! But it is anything with some junk in it. . I was diagnosed with two nodules and it was fat necrosis.

sherylmae

Bessie, your posts are all so straightforward, informative, and encouraging to those of us doing the awful waiting game, so THANK YOU!  

I just turned 51.  this is my second mammo (first one was fine).   I got my callback letter last Tuesday - also birads 0, citing a nodule that would benefit from additional mammographic views and/or ultrasound.  Can't feel anything myself. 

The whole call back process is so scary...the word nodule is scary, and to me, the birads 0 is even scary - find myself wishing they had something more definitive to say that 'additional images needed'. 

I did go see my gp today, and she was able to get my diag mammo and/or ultrasound moved up to Wed (instead of next Thursday), so I'm very thankful for that! She also gave me some anti-anxiety meds - yea!  Best thing is I've lost about 7 lbs this week so far!  

So again, thank you for your shared wisdom and calming encouragement.  And the diagrammed chart above is also very encouraging! 

Prayers for your continued good health, and blessings for what you're doing for others here!

Kimbees

Hi I"m new here, they found 2 suspicious solid masses. 1 is 1.8 cm. The other is .66. Had screening manmogram, then diagnostic manmogram. Then an ultrasound. They cannot be felt by hand.

I go thru many mood changes. Biopsies Monday. Results Tuesday. Surgeon said she thinks it's cancer.

My friend went thru the same experience 17 years ago with the same surgeon. The surgeon told her the same thing and hers was benign.

I'm just scared it might have spread. I have no clue about anything.

mustlovepoodles

Kimbees, you may want to start your own thread so people can read your story. This thread has been inactive for 6 years.