What is a "radial scar"?

Rainbow1908

Please help. I'm not getting alot of info from my doctor except that I need to see a surgeon.

A few questions:

What is a radial scar?

Why do I have to see a surgeon if it's benign?

Will I have to undergo chemotherapy or radiation due to it?

ravzari

This page has some pretty good info on what a radial scar is: http://breast-cancer.ca/radscrs/
That link is their more 'user friendly' page on it, otherwise for more medical detail http://breast-cancer.ca/3b-hyperplasia/ and scroll down to "3.4.5 Radial Scar (Complex Sclerosing Lesion)" for more medically oriented details on what it is.

Your doctor probably wants you to see a surgeon to biopsy it to make sure it actually is a radial scar (which can be hard to diagnose correctly) and not something less benign. Radial scars can look really similar to tubular carcinoma on mammograms as well, so that's part of why they'd want to biopsy and examine the tissue microscopically to make sure it actually is just a radial scar and not something else.

There is also thought to be a heightened risk (8-30%) of developing cancer in the area affected by a radial scar, so they likely want to check it out to make sure that's not happening as well.

If it turns out to be just a radial scar, which is benign, it's highly doubtful that they'd recommend chemo or radiation.

Spaetlese83

I recently had a mammo that came back abnormal. They sent me in for another, along with an ultrasound. Those two confirmed the first mammo and then I had a biopsy of both breasts. Those came back negative for cancer but the right one has an adenoma and the left has two lesions, both with radial scars. The breast center referred me for an MRI and a visit with the breast surgeon this Thursday. My Insurance Co declined approval for the MRI stating it's not a medical necessity since the results came back "negative", yet they're sending me to the surgeon for removal of said abnormalities. I understand excisional biopsy or lumpectomy are the general procedure for radial scars, but I'm wondering if anyone has opted for a double mastectomy? Ultimately it's what I'd prefer be done in my case, but I'm sure if they won't approve an MRI, they dang sure won't approve that. Anyone have any experience with this? The breast center told me that radial scars can possibly have cancerous tissue underneath it and/or could possibly turn cancerous later on. Since I'm post-menopausal at 51 (thanks to fibroids at 42 years of age causing the need for my hysterectomy) and my breasts don't define me in any way, this is what I'd prefer. Most of these websites give the same general info, but also contradict themselves so it's hard to know what's accurate and what isn't. I figure the best option at this point (since my appt with the surgeon is still 2 days away) is to just ask and see if anyone else has an experience or input. Thanks so much :-)

MelissaDallas

They actually have a very low rate of associated malignancy. Most of them are benign. I think you would have a difficult time talking a surgeon into a bilateral mastectomy for this.