Interval Breast Cancer

Sherylann987

Anyone else out there who had a clear mammogram up to 12 months ago but found a lump in their breast???

I NEVER do self exams but did so only because a friend posted on Facebook about her breast cancer and I am alone now and just felt like why not check it out .... and then WTH, is that a lump??? Now I am supposedly 8 months out from clear mammogram that I am convinced was missed by the same radiologist ..... do I get second opinion or no?

OCDAmy

I had a clear mammogram and then six months later felt a lump that turned out to be a very large tumor plus DCIS. It's a moderate growing Cancer so no way that just grew that large in 6 months. Got a BMX because I'll never trust a mammogram again.

moth

I felt my lump just a bit over 3 months after a clear mammo. It's a valuable tool but like most things, it's not 100%

Sherylann987

Thank you for your response Amy. So what do we trust??? How do we know what is the best treatment? My MO is advising aggressive therapy, but how do I know that is best? What if the diagnostic mammogram missed the tumor??? The radiologist who read the mammogram last fall is the same radiologist who read the one in May. Would he really admit that he missed the tumor last fall??? No I doubt it. How are you doing? Did you get a second opinion?

Sherylann987

Moth - do you know if the same radiologist read both mammograms?

NotVeryBrave

I had a clear screening mammogram 4 months before I found the lump. I had been told on reports that my breasts were dense, but no one ever told me that I should get a 3D mammogram. Of course, the BS said it had probably only been there a couple of months anyway. It was a HER2 cancer - known to be aggressive and fast growing.

What are you seeking a second opinion on? Mammogram? Pathology? MO? I had an MRI and genetic testing before any treatment started so that we could be sure what we were dealing with. I also had second opinions on BS, pathology, and RO. Those helped to answer a lot of concerns.

moth

I'm not sure if it was the same radiologist who read both films but they were done at the same facility and my surgeon received both films.

Sherylann987

Hi NotVeryBrave ... sorry you are here with us. I'm not very brave either!

I love my BS and MO but can't seem to get over the fact that I believe the radiologist missed the mass on my mammogram in September. My MO's recommended treatment is based on the "fact" that the tumor grew so quickly. What if it was there on the last mammogram in September and isn't that fast growing? Would that change my treatment? That is why I am thinking about getting a second opinion -- I want the two mammograms to be reviewed by new eyes.

moth

Some tumors grow quite quickly. This study looked at precise U/S measurements at diagnosis & at surgery (approx 30 days later)

"Median time from diagnosis to surgery was 31 days (range, 8–78 days). Maximum tumor diameters and volumes at the time of surgery (mean, 15.6 mm and 1.6 cm3) were significantly larger than at diagnosis (14.7 mm and 1.3 cm3)"

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC54025...

Ultimately I think radiologists and the people who run mammography screening programs are monitoring their cases and running studies to improve their procedures as much as possible.

OCDAmy

Looks like your tumor is a grade 2 which is moderate. So, not the fastest growing. I coudn't tell what you are seeking a second opinion for? Once I got the path from my biopsy I switched to a NCI cancer center.

Lula73

Some cancers just don’t show up on mammo and/or ultrasound including mine. A radiologist can definitely miss what he can’t see and not be at fault. Have you had an MRI? It’s much more sensitive and works well for dense breasts. That should be the next step and the “second opinion” you need right now.