MRI Result - "Washout" in the good breast

Ausbear

In the long saga that has been my cancer diagnosis, I recently had an MRI with results that re-identified the IDC in the right breast - no surprises there.

However this is what was said about my left breast:

"within the left breast, laterally, there is a small relatively well defined region of nodular enhancement measuring 6.1mm, 69mm deep to the nipple in the lateral portion of the left breast. The enhancement curve of this small focus is of 'washout'. Again, suggestive of an infiltrative process. Correlation with dedicated ultrasound imaging is suggested"

I made the words that scare the crap out of me bold in the text above.

I knew something was up when the breast care nurse asked me to wait longer than usual to see the breast surgeon and not his staff. He was very serious delivering the news and immediately booked me for a ultrasound with biopsy, and if the area can't be seen this way, to fly to Brisbane (from Cairns in Queensland, AU) for an MRI guided biopsy. I will be seeing the radiologist on Tuesday at 10.00am.

Even though I know there is a great deal of MRI false positive results, I am terrified that this is another cancer in the left breast and have lost my shit since the news, worrying incessantly. I hate that I always get news like this on a Friday, which means I freak out all weekend. Even my sweet husband, who normally is super relaxed and cool about things, is worried.

The emotional toll this has taken since the mammogram on Feb 9 is really had to deal with, and at the bottom of my heart, I know I can't tolerate a cycle of high level surveillance for the rest of my life, with the fear of recurrence hanging over my head. I am seriously considering a bilateral mastectomy to take away most of the future risk. I know that it is not guaranteed to never come back but the risk is greatly reduced.

Thoughts? Suggestions?

lessharp

Ausbear, so sorry about your worry. Most everyone here at this site can relate to those feelings. It is terrifying having this diagnosis....but know that this is not the BC of yesterday. Lots of treatment options are available. You will feel better when you are on a treatment plan.

As far as bilateral mastectomies...I did not even have an invasive component...and I still did the BMX. So you won't get much argument from me on that idea! But there are several women on this site that have made a variety of choices....and they will all tell you the same thing.

Do what is best for you!

I asked my surgeon if she thought I was 'overtreating' my diagnosis and she gave me a diatribe of what the world thinks about DCIS and how we in the USA tend to overreact. Well, Who cares what they think? They don't have frickin' cancer! So, I will say, you are the one dealing with this disease, and you are the one who has to live with the risks....so do what you feel comfortable with!

KBeee

Sorry you are dealing with this, but I am glad they're being thorough with the MRI so you can make the best surgical choice. It may not be the choice you originally planned on, but if it's the best choice long term, it'll be worth it. Keep us posted on how things go. Hoping the tides turn and you start hearing some GOOD news.

Ausbear

Thanks ladies.

I had the biopsy yesterday. Let me preface what I will say next by stating that the team at the Radiology clinic are completely professional and compassionate people, and I have absolute confidence in their abilities and advice.

A first pass with ultrasound could not find anything, so they suggested a mammogram. This was followed by a second pass with ultrasound and they found a slightly strange area which was biopsied.

Afterwards, my radiologist discussed the very real probability that either a) it was a false positive or b) is just too small for them to find with an ultrasound. He is awesome, he even took me into his office to view the mammogram together.

The biopsy result came in today, benign, as in normal tissue. Obviously this is great news but I am left with lingering doubt that maybe they could not find it and maybe there is a teeny tiny cancer in there that won't show up for some time. The advice I got was to wait 3 months and have another MRI.

My question is, IF I leave it, and choose lumpectomy for the right hand side and IF the lump in the left turns out to be cancer, will my treatment options be limited? FYI: In three months time, I will be going through chemotherapy.

Thanks in advance

KBeee

If you have a lumpectomy now and things change, you could always opt for mastectomy later. Hoping scan comes back with good news.