Radial Scar

110

Can anyone help with a meaning of radial scar.

I had been being watched since 9-2012, 2 complex cysts, 1 microcluster. one with the problem was 4x4x4 4mm complex cyst on ultrasound. been same size since 9-2012. i did follow up 2-2013, and 7-30-2013. birads 3 score was given on ultrasound and birads 2 score given on mammogram. 7-30-2013 recommendation was to have 1 yr mammogram and 6 month follow up on us.

i made appt with breast specialists 8-1-2013. bs also agreed on recommendation. i told her i was not comfortable with this as mother had bc in early 40's and brother kidney cancer 46.  i am now 46 yrs old. she said lets do core biopsy and i said ok. it was done on 8-1-2013. my insurance the biopsy had to go to outside lab. i was told by bs office it would be 10 days if it were to go to hospital 3 days. so i investigated why outside lab was so long. i found out they dont take that long and my results were to bs office monday. dr was in surgery tuesday. today i called and call was dropped by my cell. so i went into office. i was told that i had a RADIAL SCAR and i also saw the NO Malignant cells found. I was also told dr is requesting slides of biopsy from outside lab to be sent to hospital for a 2nd opinion. I asked why?????????

i was told outside lab made mistake one time in past and now bs ALWAYS sends them to hospital now for 2nd opinion if they go to this lab that my insurance had to send it to. it is a NATIONWIDE lab in USA. So now it will be another 2 weeks before getting results. Lady at office was nice and she said to focus on the results stating NO Malignant cancer cells found. but i responded well dr always request 2nd opinion when results come from this lab.

I have all my films. The area was identified as complex cyst by 3 radiologists over the past year, also affiliated with the hospital. It was round as could be with cloudy look inside. I read on Radical Scar and the ultrasound images of a Radical Scar on internet did not look like mine at all as mine was well defined, circular.

If anyone can give any info i would appreciate it. Internet reading is hard to determine vs. speaking to those who have had this. I cannot see on mammogram films anything looking like a radical scar but i am not a radiologist either. the ultrasound images make much more sense very clear. Round ball smooth edges nothing poking out anywhere and clouds as i call it inside.

Momcat1962

http://breastcancer.about.com/od/whenitsnotcancer/p/Radial-Scars-Benign-Breast-Abnormality.htm





There are a lot of sites online. Also referred to as a complex sclerosing lesion. Benign in most cases but can hide a malignancy.

Beesie

My advice and thoughts:

Don't try to read or interpret your own films.  Radiologists are doctors who have years of experience and they don't always agree on what they are seeing.  As patients, we have no experience reading films.  Don't do it.

2nd opinions are good.   It is often advisable to get a 2nd opinion on pathology. Your doctor is being diligent in requesting the 2nd opinion. That's a good thing. Most often, the second lab confirms what the first lab found.  I had a second opinion done on my pathology after my last excisional biopsy. My second opinion completely confirmed everything found by the first lab.  So if the second lab confirms the findings of a benign radial scar, that will be great news. And if they find something else, well, you would want to know that, right?  

Don't Google.  You will only drive yourself nuts by focusing on the scary stuff.  That's what everyone does.  And no matter how positive the outlook of your situation, when you Google you will always find scary stuff.

You have a benign result. That's great news. Go with it.  Don't think about it for the next couple of weeks.  There's no reason to.  You have a benign result.  It's not likely to change.  But if it does, you will find out in 2 weeks.  Until then there is nothing that you can do to change what's going to happen.  Dwelling on it and worrying about is only going to make the next 2 weeks much more difficult for you. Why do that to yourself?  If everything turns out to be okay, you will have made two weeks of your life miserable for absolutely no reason.  You can't change the situation you are in, but you can control how you handle it.  Choose to let this go and enjoy living your life.  And then see what happens in 2 weeks.   

110

ok got the results radial scar. but my dr now wants 2nd opinion from pathology as she does not like lab my insurance used. l researched radial scar and it needs to be removed. no cancer cells found but radial scars are like a star and they are removed as all areas were not taken just 5 samples. so, dr office called todaya and said they sent authorization to insurance to be approved for 2nd opinion. insurance said it would take 7-10 days for approval. i called back dr office and told them this. they tried to say we normally get them back in 4 days.

the lab used is a nationwide lab. my dr wants it from hospital only therefore no matter what was stated on report she wants it to come from hospital only.

i was told yesterday it would be like 2 weeks before hospital lab got them report but it looks like it is going to be much longer as insurance said 7-10 days for approval for the 2nd pathologist to look at it. then ordering slides from lab 2 hours away. they have to be mailed. then another 3-4 days for 2nd opinion at hospital.

well i made appt today with another breast specialists in the area. a bit further drive 1 hour away. i have appt on monday. MY 2nd opinion doctor will have to call the first one to get a copy of the pathology report as the dr office yesterday refused to give me a copy as they said dr signature not on bottom as she reviewed it but i said she did when she wrote to get 2nd opinion from hospital lab. so monday new bs will have to request it while i am there. this should really piss off the initial breast specialist that i went somewhere else to get another opinion.

i understand these radial scars are a b9 situation but they are removed as they cannot sample all areas and there is a percentage of change there are malignant cells hiding in them and that is why they are always removed.

my situation seemed to be minimal to them. no urgency. then why not trust the results from the lab as they are moving  as it is correct but wont do anything before a 2nd opinion is done which seems like 3 weeks. then surgery set up even longer. this thing could be months before resolved.

i have little patience. i know that. i even told initial dr i would self pay for the 2nd opinion vs. waiting the 7-10 days for the approval from the insurance. they said it would only be 4 days relax. that is not want the insurance company said......

i know mine is not anywhere as severe as most others on this site. but it is for me personally when i have a strong history of cancer in family mother with bc early 40's and brother kidney cancer 46 when i am now 46.

so if 1st bs wants 2nd opinion on labs i guess i am entitled to 2nd opinion from another physician. the pathologist is a doctor who is interpreting the slides of tissue obtain. it is not like a technician out of high school.

i feel better seeing someone new on monday to get their impression on this whole thing. initial bs seems like its ok to take whatever time needed.

i pushed for biopsy even though it was a birads 3 and stable for 1 year. now I am pushing again. I want this to be taken care of and not just put on the back burner. I am just as important as the next patient.

there is not a 100% guarantee with this radial scar thing. it has been recommended by radiologists just for 6 month follow up which i have been doing for one year. i dont want to keep sitting around waiting for insurance games, 2nd opinion pathology. if it is what dr feels necessary good. but i also have the right to seek out 2nd opinion as well. if both indicate 2nd lab needed then ok.

it was not like it was an inconclusive report.

thanks for letting me vent today. you all are in my thoughts with your struggle and coping with your diagnosis

tgoldens

Hi. I'd really like to know the outcome as I'm going thru the same thing

tgoldens

Well I had double mastectomy January 22nd with reconstruction. June 4th i get expanders out and implants put in. 3 spots of DCIS in right and 1 spot of ADH in left. Seems so unreal