STRESS: Many unanswered questions after MRI biopsy

Sphinx82

Hello folks, I am writing to hear any thoughts and advice on my situation, and probably to feel some comfort during the stress of this experience too. 

I'm 35 with lifetime breast cancer risk of greater than 25%. My mother entered hospice care this week from stage IV met breast cancer that's now in her bones. This is a recurrence from an earlier breast cancer. Both my grandmothers died from breast cancer and my grandma's sister died of IBC.

So, I qualified for early screenings and have been getting mammograms and ultrasounds every 6-12 months for a few years...they always seem to think they see something but it turns out ok and I just go back for more follow ups.

This was my first biopsy. Two weeks ago I had a screening MRI for a baseline picture and they saw something - irregular non mass enhancement 1.1 cm with washout kinetics, BIRADS 4 suspicious. It didn't show up on mammogram or ultrasound, so they did an MRI guided biopsy with a vacuum assisted needle. It made disgusting sucking sounds when it took samples! That was last Friday, then we had the weekend of waiting and finally yesterday I broke down and called my Dr's office (Monday) around 4 and spoke to the lovely woman in the office who said she was surprised the biopsy results were in so quickly and that it was "negative". I shouted out for joy, I was so relieved and felt instantly like a weight had been lifted. I am very curious though, what they thought they saw and why it wasn't there. Basically, I want to know the details, especially after such an ordeal. I feel like it all went from zero to 100 back to zero again so abruptly, my head is spinning! She also said I would be meeting with a radiologist in the next couple weeks but that's all the info I got. 

Also, with what my mom is going through, I have cancer cancer cancer on the brain and I sure don't ever want to experience even a sliver of what she has gone through and will have to go through.

Do you all have any advice? Should I call for more info, I don't even know what to ask. I won't tell my mom that this is happening to me because she is at the end of her life and I don't want to frighten her or make her worry, she's scared enough as it is. 

Thanks in advance to anyone out there who happens to read/share. 

Best to all of you, from my heart.

djmammo

Sphinx82

MRI is extremely sensitive for breast cancer even in its early stages. At the earliest stage it is very difficult to distinguish the abnormal "non-mass enhancement" of things like DCIS from uneven/assymetric enhancement of normal tissue. With your family history every little deviation from the norm will be thoroughly investigated so as not to miss a cancer. I predict this will not be your last biopsy. A negative MRI biopsy is a very common occurrence especially if it is your first MRI (no comparisons).

I would discuss the following things with your providers:

Where is the best place to have my MRI's done? Is there a local breast center that does a high volume of breast MRIs with someone reading them that reads them everyday, all year long?

When is the best time to have my MRI done? It should be in the same point in your cycle every single time to make comparisons easier and cut down on false positives the MRI center will tell you what part of the cycle is best. Some places will do blood tests to determine the best time of the month to be scanned.

Should I get genetic testing and if positive what are my options? Some women undergo preventive surgery to reduce the odds of breast and other cancers, discuss with them what option is best for you.

Sphinx82

Thank you for that information and the questions you suggested, that helps a lot! Ok, so I guess this might become a familiar process...Well, although that seriously sucks I am beyond grateful to have the incredible privilege of access to the technology and smart people who are there to save people's lives, for real. Thanks again for your insight.