Postmenopausal and fibrocystic change

hobie644

What would cause fibrocystic change in someone (like me) who is 5 years postmenopausal, had a total hysterectomy 21/2 years ago and not on any hormone replacement therapy. I recently had an MRI that showed an enhancement that really looked concerning. I had an MRI guided biopsy that came back benign fibrocystic change. I'm really confused as to why I would have this. I have an appt. with my Breast Specialist in December and will be asking a bunch of question, but until then...do any of you ladies have any answers or comments for me. Thanks.

TotallyBlessed

hi hobbie - I'd like to know too. Just received my b9 results today, but don't have my written report from doctor yet - picking that up in a day or two BUT a couple of things quickly mentioned was fibrocystic changes as well Intraductal hyperplasia. I'll find out more when I speak with someone at the office, but I'm also confused on they 'fibrocystic changes' - I'm 56 and 7 years post menopause.

hobie644

Hi TotallyBlessed, Have you been able find anything out about why you would have fibrocystic change? So far all my internet searches say is that it's uncommon in postmenopausal women. I can't find anything at all as to why we would have this, especially, when not on any hormone therapy.

Dbay

hi Hobie, I too, would like to know! I am also seven years post menopausal, no HRT. I am going the 22nd for an excisional biopsy on a 5.4 cm mass that is new one BS said fibroadenoma, had a second opinion the other BS said just a lipoma. They both said B9 so I am not worried about that, the thing is WHY am I getting these, and why are my breast getting more dense every time I go for my mammos and ultrasounds? No history of breast cancer in the immediate family just great aunts and second cousins. I will ask questions Friday and reply back on what I am told.

TotallyBlessed

Hi hobie and Dbay.

Looking forward to what you find out Dbay.

hobie, I've spoken with my doctor twice on the phone but didn't ask her about this - I think i was so overwhelmed with all the places my mind had taken me while waiting for the results that when i finally heard 'b9'...I just lived in the moment. I'm going to wait till my 6 month mammo and ultra sound (April) and see what that brings, if there are any more changes in that direction then I'll dig deeper with my doctor.

From some of my research I've done, I've felt pretty at ease with this overall diagnoses of fibrocystic change but puzzled by the fact it's just in one breast

hobie - I'm really interested also in hearing what your BS says.

blondie0236

Hobie, did you ever find out why the fibrocystic changes? I'm in the same boat as you, post menopausal by 1 yr, hysterectomy 18 yrs ago, only on testosterone replacement and use progesterone cream. Last MRI showed 2 new areas of nodular enhancement but nothing to worry about and recently started having pain in left breast and doctor felt a mass which he thinks is fibrocystic changes so having US on Monday just to be safe.

MelissaDallas

I'm postmenopausal and had a biopsy yesterday for what turned out to probably be a cyst. Go figure...

Dbay

Hi, so I had my excisional biopsy Friday, doing well. I was so nervous I didn't ask a lot of questions like I wanted too, but my BS did say just because one has a total hysterectomy we still have hormones even if not on HRT. I still don't get it, I go for my follow up Dec. 2, so maybe I will be in a better frame of mind to ask lol.

hobie644

Hi ladies, I still don't know why?

I have an appt. with my Breast Specialist on Dec. 6th and I really hope she can put my mind to rest.

I got a copy of the path report and found out I have proliferative fibrocystic change. Which I guess means it's active/growing? Beside being postmenopausal, no overies, and not taking hormones and wondering why I have fc; I also want to find out why it only showed up on an mri, but not on either mammo or u.s. also I don't have any physically detectable lumps, bumps or thickening; which to me adds to the mystery!

hobie644

Hi Dbay, Good luck with your Dr apt. Please let me know if you're able to get your questions answered.

Wishing you benign results.

Carol

TotallyBlessed

hi hobbie, I'm thinking proliferative is considered a benign breast change. My path says 'intraductal hyperplasia without atypia'. Also said ''nodular''.

I'm still so confused by this. And why do I have it in just one breast

hobie644

Hi TotallyBlessed, From my research proliferative is benign, but having it slightly increases your risk of developing cancer. With non-proliferative there is no increase.

My path says 'Proliferative Fibrocystic Change without Atypia, with Scattered Microcalcifications'

I too want to find out why I have fibrocystic change in only one breast

Dbay

Hello all, well B9 here Yipee! I am still confused as ever, BS says hormones play a role with FC breast with or without ovaries??? Just the way our bodies are she said.....so I hope you all get better answers from your BS than I did, and could share with me ugh! Will see what breast changes I have in the next six months lol, always something

hobie644

Hi DBay, Congratulation on your b9 results!!!

To bad your BS didn't answer your question to your satisfaction.

Wish me luck getting a satisfactory answer from my BS when I see her this Friday.

MelissaDallas

Here Dbay ( from Dr. love's breast book:

Many women think that once they have their ovaries removed (oophorectomy) their bodies no longer make estrogen. But that's not the case. Even when a woman lacks ovaries, her body can still make hormones. Her fat and adrenal glands may produce very small levels of estrogen as well as testosterone and androstenedione, which are converted by fat, muscle, and breast tissue into estrogen.

mammalou

hobbie.. I had the exact same finding as you a few months back. I do not think it is very unusual even for post menopausal women. My breasts have a lot of different B9 things and depending on the biopsy, something different shows up. I have found all my things with US or MRI and nothing on mammogram.

Dbay

Thank you Hobie, yes wishing you satisfactory answers, I know BS are so busy I wish they had hours to spend with each of us to answer questions, which is totally unrealistic I know. Thank Goodness for this place, what a great source of info, and to meet others going through the same. Thanks so much Melissa, makes sense now, instead of "you still have hormones", I guess I am one that needs details, and did you get your results back yet? Hoping it was indeed a cyst!

ballet12

Hi DBay, good question about why you have the findings in only one breast. My "pet" theory (not scientific), is that there is some change/insult/inflammation to the one breast which makes it more vulnerable than the other. In my case, I believe that I had a serious case of mastitis when I began breast feeding. Not sure of the diagnosis, but I had severe engorgement and a high fever at the same time. Anyway, it is that same breast that has been biopsied multiple times over the years. Atypical ductal hyperplasia has been found twice, atypical lobular hyperplasia, once, and more recently, DCIS. The other breast has only been biopsied once (benign), but that's post diagnosis, when they biopsy anything remotely suspicious. Anyway, that's my pet theory. In those individuals with a genetic propensity for bc, such as those with BRCA positive genes, the risk is bilateral (both breasts), but if the genetic load is low (in my case only me and my mom-post menopausal), it's more likely that some environmental issue is causing the problem (meaning in the environment of the breast).

hobie644

Hi ballet12, That is a good theory that one breast is more vulnerable than the other for various reasons. But what are my reasons. I've had 4 biopsies on the right side. 2 biopsies led to surgery to remove papillomas. The other 2 biopsies were just fibrocystic change. I had a biopsy on the left that led to my diagnosis of DCIS in 2009. My left breast has been well behaved ever since lol! I think what's most confusing is why would one breast have so much going on. I went through natural menopause, then had a full hysterectomy and because I had DCIS I'm not taking any hormones. My last biopsy was done via MRI because the 'FC' didn't show up on either Mammo or US. The MRI saw a suspicious nodule that enhanced and the kenetics of it led to a birads 4. I still hope to get some answers this Friday at my appointment.

hobie644

Just got home from my Dr appointment. She really had no answers for me except to say, "it's rare, but some postmenopausal women tend to grow things". I'm beginning to think there isn't an answer to the question why some postmenopausal women would have fibrocystic change etc... and in only one breast. My Dr said that since I tend to "grow things" I will continue to be monitored closely.