Did anyone get a 2nd opinion on pathology?

nmh35

I had an MRI biopsy that showed flat epithelial atypia, went for surgical excision and this time path didn't show FEA, it showed atypical ductal hyperplasia(different pathology labs). I always question everything and wonder if maybe something was missed since there was a difference between the 2 before. Has anyone ever asked a different place to re-look at the slides?

jacee

Nicole, I had my slides sent to Johns Hopkins Breast Center for a 2nd opinion. Here is the info. http://pathology.jhu.edu/department/services/consults/breastpath.cfm

My insurance covered it. My result was the same as original.

nmh35

jacee,

Were you able to request the slides yourself and send them to john Hopkins, or did you have to have your doctor do it?

ballet12

I have received second opinion path reports from Memoriol Sloan Kettering twice. Both times the results were  in corcordance. I did have atypical ductal hyperplasia on core biopsy andDCIS on excisional biopsy last year. MSK agreed with both path findings. l had ADH in an earlier surgical biopsy and they also agreed with that finding.

ballet12

You can usually make a direct request to your path lab to sent it to the other lab.

jacee

there were several pages that needed filled out. my Onc. did it and sent to my pathologist.

momoschki

Nicole,

I have had my slides looked at by THREE different hospitals, yielding 3 different results. Results of first needle biopsy said DCIS, second pathology report said "borderline" DCIS-ADH, and third pathology report, from the third hospital, said just pure ADH. Results of my surgical biopsy were benign (needle biopsy removed everything.) Both my breast surgeon and my oncologist have stated repeatedly (in response to my badgering) that the differential dx in my case makes absolutely no difference regarding treatment or prognosis, but I am almost 3 years out, and it still drives me crazy. I do not deal well with the grey area, and that is precisely where I landed.

farmerlucy

My excisonal biopsy came back as DCIS/LCIS from one doc and ADH/ALH from another -  both were at the same hospital lab, they automatically sent it out to Vanderbilt for a second opinion and they said ADH/ALH.

I wish I'd gotten a second opinion on my final path, but oh well. I don't think you'd ever be sorry you got a second opinion, but you might be if you don't.

msphil

yes I did get a 2nd opinion and it was the same But it is always a good idea. msphil(idc,stage2, 0/3 nodes, :L mast, chemo and rads and 5 yrs on tamoxifen) Praise GOD I am now a 19yr Survivor. 

dmarie71

My story is a bit crazy. I had a biopsy on a complicated cyst and was told the results were benign...whew(right)?!?!? No, I felt unsettled. I have very dense breasts and the surgeon refused to let me do a breast MRI so I immediately called a large university hospital to ask for my 6 month follow-up with one of their doctors. After the receptionist took my info, she said "I think you should come sooner. I think you would be a great candidate for a breast MRI" They saw me 2 weeks later. They had requested all of my records. When I went for my "consult", the surgeon said "I am so sorry but we received your slides and your pathology is not completely a benign finding. We found ALH." Are you kidding me? Thank God I went with my gut. I then had 3 areas of breast tissue removed during a partial mastectomy surgery. Two new areas came back with ALH and the original biopsy site came back upgraded to LCIS. I sent everything to Hopkins for a 2nd opinion, they said the original site was ALH (not LCIS), 1 area was benign and 1 was ALH. Hopkins suggested Vanderbilt to be the tie breaker and said they have the top pathologists in the country. Their conclusion was that every site was ALH. So I had 4 different opinions ranging from benign to LCIS. Crazy!