Annual Mammo/US gets Birads 3... see you in a year?

VanillaPudding

I have busy breasts.  Very busy.  I am 43 with extremely dense breast with very little adipose tissue, severely fibrocystic also.  Mammograms looks almost entirely white.  I have been having Mammos/US and alternating MRI's every 6 months for 3 years.  Every report from the Radiologist is pages long, listing everything possible going on in these busy breasts.  I have been told I have so many cysts they are inumeral to count!  My Mammo/US appointment usually takes around 2.5 hours for all the imaging.  I have always thought they were overly thorough.

So why do I have a suspected Fibroadenoma that has been hiding since 2011 and it was never mentioned on any subsequent reports.  The reports list everything else.  Now I do have mostly complex and complicated cysts, so could it have been mistaken for that?  The last time the Fibro was mentioned was 2011.  Nothing until last week when my report mentioned the solid mass (small just 1cm) but palpable.  I am very cystic in that quadrant. The new report says unchanged since 2011, but it was not ever tested then. I go every 6 months for some test or another.

I am fine having cystic breasts, leave them alone!  They hurt but I would not want to start draining the cysts, where would you start?  I just do not like anything solid in me without being tested to prove it is nothing.  My 2 other Fibroadenomas were tested and biopsy came back as complex Firoadenomas.  They both had Apocrine Metaplasia, Usual Ductal Hyperplasia, and Sclerosing Adenosis.  Everything Benign.  I also have a prominent ductal pattern, Fibrocystic breasts, simple cysts, complicated debris filled cysts, and complex cysts, some that are septated, clustered, some complicated loculated septated csyts, and not to leave out nipple discharge.  If there is a benign condition, I have it.  My sister has ADH/ALH/and FEA Bilateral along with every other begnign condition like me.  Her breast are a perfect breeding ground for Cancer.  She has tried Tomoxifen and Evista, without success.  No other family history.

I am mad this suspected Fibroadenoma was lost.  I asked the tech what it was and she said looks like a new finding.  I have had enough imaging to know what I am looking at.  It was clearly not a cysts.  Why am I Birads 3, see you in a year?  Isn't Birads 3 short term follow up?  I have already called my PCP to schedule simple biopsy.  I am just mad this was missed and never tested.  I just want it to be proven to be a funky cysts or Fibroadenoma, then see you next year.  Am I overreacting?  Should I just wait 6 months for MRI appointment?

 

MelissaDallas

No, Birads three means that it has all the characteristics of being a benign finding and that they estimate that there is a less than 3% chance that it is cancer and that short term follow up to demonstrate stability is recommended.

VanillaPudding

Mellisa,

Thank you for replying.  Sorry if I was unclear.  My report does say Birads 3, follow up bilateral Mammo and bilateral US in one year.  So should it be a Birads 2?

MelissaDallas

It's not always six months. You can tell them you would be more comfortable with a shorter follow up than a year.  Clearly they just believe you have more of your same old stuff based on your previous findings and the appearance of it. Though all the "stuff" you've got going on is clearly a huge pain in the butt none of your biopsy findings have been concerning. If you feel more comfortable with a biopsy make them do one. I'd be comfortable waiting six more months for my next MRI, but that's just me. I'm perfectly comfortable doing watch & wait. Biopsy is not recommended for a Birads 3 finding and I am avoiding as many biopsies as I can.

panthrah

Your journey sounds like the road I just got on. Thank you for posting 

VanillaPudding

Thanks everyone for responding.  I have a Ultrasound guided FNA biopsy scheduled for 11/10.  Not expecting any problems, just want confirmation it is Fibroadenoma and it can hang out with my other ones.  Really not worried this time.  Just upset it hid and was not mentioned for so long.  Looking forward to annual Mammo/US actually.  Still will do scheduled MRI in spring since it is offered.  Oh the joy of busy breasts!

 

MelissaDallas

I'm glad you can do it FNA. Man, I hate the stereotactic ones. Here's wishing for benign for you. I'm do for my semiannual check and am dreading it. Need to get copies of my last couple years mammos and MRIs and biopsies first. I missed my latest MRI because I just couldn't afford it..  

VanillaPudding

Apparently it is an US guided core biopsy?  Happy it is not Stereotactic again.  Had 2 of those and they hurt!  Appointment moved up to 11/4.  Again, not expecting anything, the worst I am thinking is atypical cells.  Even then, I am already on a close watch schedule, so nothing will change.  Thankful to get some answers faster though.

Sassa

Good luck!  In October of 2006, I had a mammogram that found a small solid mass and was classified BIRADS 3.

My primary care MD wasn't happy and sent me back for a compression mammogram and ultrasound.  The findings were still the same (probably benign).

She sent me in for a biopsy and the surgeon decided to do an excisional biopsy.  In the lump of tissue was a very small, highly aggressive IDC tumor.

The rest is history....

VanillaPudding

Funny, just got my MammoGram letter, said everything looks good, continue to watch area of concern.  Recommend mammogram/US in 12 months.  No mention of being extremely dense.  Grrr.  Actual report from Radiologist says :  Extremely dense, opaque fibro glandular tissue with very little adipose tissue.  The multiple underlying findings that are present on bilateral breast ultrasound are nearly completely obscured by this dense breast tissue.  I know laws are currently being passed to inform women about density, just wish it was sooner than later.  Frustrated for others.

 

Anonymous

Cutting to the bottom of your post - yes, even though I had cancer previously, I have some microcalcifications in the other breast  that were Birads 3 and I didn't go back for a year, and there was no real concern.  They sort of left it up to me, asking if I was the type to want a biopsy or wait and see.  I waited.  I'm 3 years out and Birads went to 2 the next year and 1 the next year.

VanillaPudding

Great news!  Benign Fibroadenoma, with mild and moderate usual hyperplasia!  Very happy it was not worse.  This fibro will now hang out with the others and all the cysts.  It is a party in there.I do not want it taken out, as far as I am concerned, it is just another benign issue, so let it be.  I just have very busy benign boobs.  Thanks for all the replies!  Although this did put me officially back on the 6 month follow up regimen, I feel relieved. 

panthrah

Congrats on another addition to the b9 family Im calling the 6 mo regimen my M&M treatment

deb112059

First time user. Just want to say hello and thank you for allowing my question. Almost 7 months ago, I had a Mammo. I had missed the last 5 years. One night I told my husband that I just felt like I needed to go for my mammo. No reason, just a gut feeling. I have been told that I have extremely dense breast. I made the appt. and to make a long story short. Had to go back for ultra sound and then back for biopsy. I had a small calcification in left breast just behin the nipple and a cyst that they were not concerned about but also had several cysts in my axillary on same side. I knew about those cysts. I have them under both arms. I still do and they do stay sore some. Got the call that it was benign but they needed me come back in 6 months to see if any change had occured. They did place a marker in as well. My question is, Do I really need to return? I was suppose to go back last month but I'm not sure about it. I am still paying off the balance and don't want to keep racking up bills everytime. I just wonder what the chances are that the diagnosis would change in 6 months. Cysts are still in axillary but are in both sides. My family are pushing me to go back. Thank you all.

deb112059

I received my letter as well about having extreme dense breast. I think according to the letter, they now have to send them out. My radiologist said that my left breast was all fibrocystic and was almost impossible to see.

wrenn

What does your gut say?

sarahjane7374

Nobody can tell you what the chances are that your condition will change for the worse in 6 months, but I would listen to your doctor and stick to the follow up schedule. It's possible that if you go back and everything appears stable, you won't need to continue with the 6 month follow ups. But that's really a conversation you should have with your doctor(s).

I had a bilateral mastectomy 18 months ago and due to new masses that have popped up since, I have ultrasounds every 6 months. It sucks, and stresses me out each time, but I do it because the thought of missing something is worse, and because my doctor - the expert - thinks that it's necessary.