Waiting for surgical biopsy results

Erika37

Hi everyone,

I'm glad I found this forum. Here's my story: I am 37 years old, strong family hx of breast ca. (have not been tested for BRCA yet). I have been on high risk screening program alternating MRI and mammograms every 6 months. Had MRI guided biopsy 2 years ago and they found PASH. Had been clear except this past January found loose cluster of calcifications in left breast so had stereotactic biopsy. Pathology showed PASH as well as FEA (flat epithelial aytpia). I had a surgical biopsy this past Thursday march 12 with wide local excision due to the large number of calcifications around the biopsy site. Now I'm waiting for my results which I don't get until March 30. For anyone who is waiting on surgical biopsy (lumpectomy) I found it to be a breeze. Very little pain after, never even had to take Tylenol. I have about a 3 inch incision. I had way more bruising with the core needle biopsies.

Hoping for the best or at the worst I hope all they find is DCIS. I'm also an RN so sometimes knowing too much is a bad thing!

 

ml143333

The waiting truly is the hardest part.  I hope the results come back benign but if they don't, we will be here to help you through.

Moderators

Please do keep us posted! Yes, the waiting is the worst part !

Thinking of you,

The Mods

Erika37

Thank you so much for your kind words. I am grateful to live in Canada and be under the care of the top breast oncology surgeon in Toronto. I feel very confident no matter what I am in good hands. Just wish I could find out the results sooner.

alicki

Hello,

May I ask why it takes so long to get an answer?

Thanks,
Alicki

Erika37

They don't give results over the phone so this is for the follow up visit with the surgeon. It is normally 2 weeks but the surgeon only sees patients in office on Mondays so the way it worked out with my surgery being a Thursday I got moved to the Monday after the 2 week mark.

leaf

Yes, sometimes knowing too much is a bad thing! Its partial knowledge. Sometimes that's when its the most scary. I'm sure you've heard of medical students piling in to Student Health because they think they have the disease they just learned about.

Its so easy to go to the worst case scenario. I'm a pharmacist, and before I had my first mammogram call-back, I thought the only women who got breast cancer were women who ignored their lumps. When I was waiting for my results, I was in tears most nights I worked when I would see a person with a breast cancer diagnosis being admitted to the hospital. I didn't know that it is very unusual to have the worst case scenario - that's why its the 'worst case'.

If we get a less than perfectly normal diagnosis, then we want to know why. What did we do to get in this situation. In the case of breast cancer, most times we have no idea why, and its hard to live with that uncertainty. (About 15% of breast cancers are thought to be due to a single deleterious mutation such as for BRCA1 or 2; in about 70% of cases we have no idea why - besides being a woman or being older.) There are many threads of what breast cancer patients are told by family and friends: it is because they didn't eat healthy, or exercise enough (which may or may not contribute, but there are certainly plenty of people who ate healthy and exercised a lot who nevertheless got breast cancer), or because they were a bad kid, or ... anything to separate the person speaking from the person who has the condition.

No matter what the outcome, I bet you'll be a better RN after this. Hang in there.

Erika37

Thanks Leaf! I know for sure this experience has changed me no matter what the outcome. It has given me a new perspective being "the patient" this time.

HuntingtonNY

Greetings ~

Within the past week I had my yearly mamo, and two days later a follow up magnified mamo along with a sonogram. The radiologist showed me the films and said looks like DCIS. Biopsy is tomorrow morning. My sister was diagnosed at the same age years ago. (No I don't know what type she had & am unable to get that info). Logically I think of all the cancers, this would be the most easily treatable. I think it's not something to freak out about, and I am calm on the outside, but that back of the mind keeps spinning in panic mode.

HuntingtonNY

Thank you for the info on getting a biopsy....... going to have one tomorrow and didn't know anyone who had one.

Erika37

HuntingtonN- Are you having a surgical biopsy or a stereotactic core needle one? I am feeling the same way about DCIS. I know it is highly curable and the best of any of the breast cancers to get but it still sucks. no other way to put it. I am just hoping mine is benign of course but if it is "'something" then I'll take DCIS over the more invasive ones.

HuntingtonNY

Erika37,

Hello,

I didn't know until I got to the room that I was having a stereostactic core biopsy. I did call my DR's office to ask ahead of time and I got a cold reply of "well they decide when you get there". I hope to get an answer on Monday. It is still a bit surreal. It was a week ago that I went for my yearly and I never ever expected this.....

Take it easy & try to relax. Do what you find soothing. My release is music...... you can't think about anything when your thinking of the lyrics!

Best wishes and let me know how it goes.

M

liveit56

Erika37, hi....in the same boat...I go see the surgeon on Monday....wishing you the very best

LostLittle1

Hi just found this site today, so glad I did! I am freaking out!! Had my annual mammo this past Wed. Was immediately sent to radiology for an ultrasound. The ultrasound tech said the office would open again the next day at 9am and I should allow an hour for the radiologist to read the ultrasound test then I could call for results. At 9:06am Thurs, they were calling me and said I should get to my primary physician right away. I was able to get into my PC at 2pm (usually this takes DAYS not hours). He felt my breasts and began calling surgeons. He immediately sent me across town to a surgeon. When I walked in, they said they needed my mammogram and ultrasound films. I went to the lab to get copies and took them to the surgeon. I was immeditley escorted to a private office. The surgeons office admin said the surgeon did not want to treat me due to the size of the lump. They either said it was 2 to 3cm or 2.3cm. I was in shock I don't remember. She said he felt another dr would be more qualified. She called the other Dr and he agreed to leave his rounds at the hospital and meet me at his office. All this happened within an hour of my PC seeing me, I had seen 3 doctors! I had a sterotactic biopsy yesterday. I am sore today and I am wrapped tight as a sausage in gauze wraps and sports bra. Now I wait... I will know the pathology results next Thurs.

Moderators

Hi lettletatas, sorry you needed to come here, but glad you found this safe place to come and discuss things or vent frustration.

We are very sorry about your test results, so far, but your medical team are certainly on-the-ball and dealing with you very quickly, which is a major bonus.

Waiting for results is a tough time, and everyone here knows that feeling and can relate. We hope your biopsy results show benign or something reasonably easily treated.

Remember that you are not alone and free to come here to discuss and learn about issues.

All the best,

The Mods

HuntingtonNY

LIVEIT56

How did it go Monday???

HuntingtonNY

LITTLETATAS take a deep breath . . . . vent as much as you want here. BC makes your head spin generally, but you went in fast forward. Be kind to yourself. . .treat yourself to a movie, or a walk or talk to friends. . . . . . You will find you have more strength than you imagined.

M

Erika37

i get my results tomorrow!! Its been a long 17 days of waiting for results!

Erika37

I got my results today and it just showed the same flat epithelial atypia that showed on the needle biopsy. So this was the best news I could have hoped for! They will monitor me closely with mammogram and mri in 6 months since this is not cancer but atypical cells. So happy! Thanks for all the support I have had here on this website! xo

Hopeful82014

Thanks for sharing your good news, Erika. That is so heartening to read. I hope you'll never need to go through that again.