Something seen on 1 yr follow-up MRI. Terrified...

kika2013

Hi everyone. I have been off these boards for some time, hoping to move
on with life after bc last summer, radiation all fall, etc. I was doing
so well until this week I had my 1 year scans--a mammo and a breast MRI.
I got the call today that the mammo was clear and the MRI showed my
breasts were clear BUT MRI also saw something in my right arm pit, near
the chest wall, that radiology says could be a lymph node but they
aren't sure. So now I need a sonogram and now I am, naturally,
terrified. I got all of this in a voicemail so no chance to ask
questions. Has anyone experienced something like this and had it turn
out okay. I feel like I've gone back in time and so many of you were SO
helpful to me a year ago. I am hoping for some wisdom and some reason
when I have none myself. Thanks.

flannelette

I had something like that a few years ago, after several years out. Routine mammo. Breast clear but oops! why was that lymph node in my "good" armpit 1.2 cm? (max should be 1 cm) pf course I totally freaked - freinds came over to find me blubbering, took tranks etc.

Dr. said if the breast is clear then it's possibly either a) indicating a metastasis somewhere in the body b) indicating an occult new cancer in my "good" breast. For some reason that node is acting up and we are obligated to find out why.

But then, nodes can act up for many, many reasons. such as, in my case, the 6 month rash from hell I'd been going through. I asked all the drs & they said yep, could be, but, we see this and cannot call ourselves good drs unless we investigate thoroughly. ick.

 I forget the order but the tests went on & on - the next x-ray or US showed a 1.5 cm lymph node. which they biopsied with fine needle. nothing. So, I think on to MRI and total bone scan including both sides of cranium and fingers. Still nada. So, and I hate to say this, they finally took out and dissected 6 nodes in the axilla. Nope. Not 1 br ca cell could they find. I just clung to my rash from hell theory, and by the end they all had to admit could be, maybe not. and released me from testing hell.

In the meantime they'd found the teensiest, tiniest "granule" in my lung during the MRI. BR surgeon said more than likely a scar from some old infection. Still, follow-up MRI after 3 months. Not a thing changed. Follow-up MRI after another 6 months. nothing changed. I didn't even go to the 3rd follow up as the onc I happened to be seeing for my very last onc visit at my cancer centre said who ordered this - oh well, you may as well go since you're booked. 

I didn't go.

I am grateful for the professionalism & dedication of my drs., but this is a story that underlines why they mostly choose not to do follow-up scans unless a symptom - or something they see on a scan - presents itself. 

I truly hope that they can quickly determine and rule out whatever has shown up, but you might have to be prepared for a lot of tests till they are convinced you are fine. Do you have any other infections or rashes or anything going on? If so, the object they see might possibly be like mine - a lymph node a bit too large just doing its thing, as it should. I really hope that's the case. I completely denied the possibility of br ca the entire test time, while allowing all the tests to proceed. Clung to that, and somehow managed to remain optimistic. Whatever gets you through the night. I'm hoping for you, so much, knowing how scared you are, that yours is also a happy ending. it could well be!

april485

Hi kika,

Have had nothing like this but wanted to wish you well and to comment on Flannelette's most excellent post. WOW! Your post was very thorough and outlined everything so well so just wanted to let you know how much we on BCO boards appreciate posts like yours. You have likely helped Kika more than you know. I just wanted to acknowledge your kindness and let you know we appreciate you!

Kika, hang in there until you find out. No use worrying now! That is what further tests are for. Hugs!

kika2013

Flannelette, you are a life saver! And April, thank you for chiming in. Flannelette what an ordeal--geez. I can't even imagine how you must have felt knowing how I'm feeling with just this one issue. I did have a bit of encouraging news a while ago. My wonderful surgeon called me and said she'd gone over this MRI with my one from pre-surgery last year last night (which was done elsewhere). This "thing" whatever it is, also lit up then and no one commented on it at the very good cancer center where it was done. And no one mentioned it as an area of concern before surgery, either. And it hasn't grown, which is also encouraging. She said, though she's not ruling out a cancerous lymph node entirely, that this could very plausibly be just some lymph node that lights up, or else it is the spot where she removed a lymph node for the SNB that has filled with fluid and is now a little seroma. The thing/area isn't big (6mm), and as I said hasn't grown. She said it's a little brighter now which makes her think it might be fluid (plus some mumbo jumbo about how things are weighted in MRIs, etc, which is also in favor of fluid being involved). So fingers crossed. I will find out tomorrow. And thank you both so much again for making me feel less alone. It is just terrifying, isn't it? But so good to have people who have been there, too and really get it.

Nan54

Hi Kika. I had almost the same exact scenario a few weeks ago (except my MRI showed "something" small on the chest wall on my non cancer side). I posted in this forum in a thread called 'MRI Finding....' I can't figure out how to link it, but it's on the first page of this forum, about half way down.

Anyways, I won't retype all the details, but a week of worry and the ultrasound showed nothing at all. They couldn't find it and chalked it up to a fluke from the MRI (which apparently is not uncommon). I realize your situation is a little different, but you'll also see in my post that they were also watching another little "something" which was not even commented on in this last report because now they are sure it is "nothing."

Hang in there! Good luck today and please keep us posted...

kika2013

Nan, thank you so much for your reply. And to all who chimed in to help me, I'm happy to report that the sonogram today showed a completely normal lymph node--absolutely text book, according to the doc who read the pictures. HUGE RELIEF. No one seems to know why it didn't pass the test on the MRI (and I only found out today that the radiologist had marked it "suspicious for cancer"--yikes) but no one seems to care any more now that the visuals via sonogram are fine. And now I am going to bed for my first good night's sleep in a week! My best to all of you.