Frustrated with lack of information

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Hello all,

I am so grateful for you all, as I've been. reading posts for a couple of months. I need help/advice. At the end of June I had a screening mammogram. I got a call back for a diagnostic, I had new calcifications on the right side. The radiologist thought that most likely was benign but wanted to biopsy to be sure. I had the stereotactic biopsy in mid July. It came back with these results:

Breast, right, upper outer quadrant calcifications, stereotactic biopsy:
- Sclerosing ductal lesion with adenomatous and fibrocystic changes, with calcifications
- Epitheliosis of the usual type
- Columnar cell change
- Pseudo-angiomatous stromal hyperplasia
- Negative for malignancy

I was thrilled that all was benign. The radiologist referred me to a breast surgeon for this part of pathology: Sclerosing ductal lesion with adenomatous and fibrocystic changes, with calcifications.

The breast surgeon said that there was still a small chance that DCIS was there and suggested an excisional biopsy to remove the entire area of calcifications, which I had last Thursday.

when I arrived at the radiologist office to have the wires inserted last week, the radiologist said that the area with calcifications was too big to remove it all, so they would sample again, larger this time. They removed a 5cm by 3 cm piece. All came back benign, thankfully. This is the pathology report from that:

- Myxoid fibroadenoma, 0.2 cm
- Usual ductal hyperplasia
- Columnar cell change
- Pseudo-angiomatous stromal hyperplasia, microscopic, incidental
- Apocrine cysts with calcifications
- Apocrine metaplasia
- Calcifications in benign duct profiles
- Biopsy site changes

This is radiology report:

Imaging was discussed with Dr. and it was agreed to place 2wires, one at the level of the clip from biopsy and 1 more anteriori inthe bulk of the regional calcifications upper outer quadrant. Due to the extensive calcifications in the upper outer quadrant ands subareolarspace, it would be challenging to remove all of thec calcificationsso the idea with surgery is to remove a larger sampling of the calcifications.

This is super long....but I'm frustrated because was this excisional biopsy needed? They told me that they would remove all of the areas with calcifications, but then changed it the day of surgery and is there a chance something else could be hiding? Should I get a second opinion or chill out and be thankful?

Thank you in advance!!!

Lula73

it sounds like to excuse all of it you would be left with a disfigured breast and what you had going on was likely benign. To be safe they opted to take a larger “sample” of tissue so they could get a more in depth view of what they’re dealing with while leaving your breast in good shape. Personally I think it was a good compromise between disfiguring your breast and leaving a suspicious possibly malignant area of calcifications intact to possibly grow. Better safe than sorry

Rizz

agree with Lula73

I_Spy

Yes, I think you needed the excisional. When they do the stereo biopsy, they are getting a tiny sliver of tissue; they don't know what is sitting right next to that tissue on the sides top and bottom. So they wanted to get a bigger sample to look at -- a big chunk. If they'd given you a partial mastectomy, well, that would've been unnecessary. With this nice chunk from the excisional they have a clearer picture of what is going on there. I'm sure they'll monitor you closely. You don't need to be afraid...there is even a school of thought that DCIS itself could be left alone for a while and just monitored (see Dr. Susan Love's The Breast Book for more on that), and you don't even have DCIS. So they checked it out, they're happy, and you can go on with your life while still being vigilant. We all have to be vigilant, even if it isn't about breast cancer (crossing the street, not walking alone at night, etc). So, you'll just be a bit more vigilant than most and make sure to get your mammograms.

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Thank you all so much for your responses! I can't tell you how much I have appreciated the resource this website and you all provide!

anxiousbird

Hi,

From last month i am constantly worried about breast size change. I am 27 years old and i am not pregnant. There was very mild nipple discharge and pain in both the breasts. But that stopped after i stopped taking antacids. Later i found that one of my breeast is little heavier and had pain in armpits. I went for ultrasound, they detected ductal ecastia and mastitis. I have taken medicines for 10 days but cant see decrease in swelling. Although discomfort has lessened. I am worried. Please advice. I have pain in upper back and skin allergy. No history of breast disease. Feeling extreme hunger these days,