Is it stupid to ask...

binarybee

... what my worst dx could be? I am waiting (hi!) but I weirdly was wondering what the worst my results could be, in part so my very pragmatic self could be best prepared. My screening results said I was BIRADS 4B with "grouped, slightly pleomorphic calcifications". I keep telling myself that the biopsy results will be the only certain way to diagnose but... is there a place to see what the worst COULD be?

I just figure that maybe I could stop having the awful serial dreams I'm having every night while wondering.

ETA a bit about me: 38yo w/2 kids. I had my second, high-res screening the day of the funeral for my friend who lost a 4y battle with b/c.

Cmo65

alibee, I get where you're coming from but preparing for the worst won't be any consolation if you hear the worst. Your Birads 4b can go either way, and then if it's malignant, you have to get biopsied to learn type of cancer, grade of cancer, hormone receptors, etc. Then only with surgery will you learn the truth of stage.

It's normal you're having dreams; you're worried. I get that because I'm worried and everyone here has been worried. The waiting is hard, but I hope you'll get good results.

Oh, and it's not stupid to ask anything. I'm coming up with some doozy questions of my own! Be well.

binarybee

That is reasonable and rational I need to work on keeping that viewpoint. I am an extremely accomplished compartmentalizer so I've been essentially doing my best not to think about anything past the fact that it's ... maybe a good thing that they scheduled my biopsy out 2 weeks after my compression mammogram? I guess? I made the mistake of reading up a lot on BIRADS and what they mean and comparing them to the text of my lab results when I realized I just would be better off not thinking about this at all until I had something concrete to think about.

So, the part of me that is the compartmentalizer also feels like an idiot freaking out to my friends/family (who would be supportive, should I give them the opportunity) when there is nothing concrete to freak out about.

Sigh. Mind if I hang with you all for a bit?

alicki

Hello,

I'm hanging too and trying to compartmentalize! MRI on Monday, results Wednesday and probably biopsies Wednesday. Trying to implement "don't worry until you have something to worry about" policy. Mine is a problem of fat necrosis but we need to biopsy to make sure! Never easy this waiting.

Best

Alicki

Moderators

Hi alibee, and welcome to Breastcancer.org! We're sorry you have to be here for this worry... but glad you found us!

It's true that BIRADS 4 means that there are suspicious findings that could turn out to be cancer, but not certain and a biopsy may be required. Do you have an appointment for that? We know it is not easy to keep your mind off the worst case scenario... If it helps, take a look at the article Common Breast-Cancer-Related Fears. It may help you managing those feelings.

Please, let us know how everything goes.

Best wishes,

The Mods

binarybee

Thanks mods -- my biopsy is scheduled for Monday. The part that piqued my wonder was that I was very non-reactive and all of the staff indicated that I was more calm than they were expecting, which made me in turn wonder if I actually had something to worry about.

binarybee

Just an update... man, biopsies hurt.

Waiting on results!

PistolMama

Hi, binarybee! I was wondering how your biopsy turned out?