Just a Gut Feeling

footballmomma

I went for my yearly screening the first week of May. I have been getting regular screening plus ultrasounds due to dense tissue for the past 5 years. This year I was called back for a diagnostic plus u/s for architectural distortion. The radiologist and the u/s tech had a polite arguement in front of me over whether or not there was an architectural distortion. I then went to see the BS who said from looking at my reports that she wasn't sure what they were seeing was architectural distortion, either. She looked at the area with the u/s machine in her office and said she couldn't see anything definite. I had a stereo this morning which went well and was painless for me. I am having relatively little pain now, more swelling than anything. I get the results next Tuesday. I just have a gut feeling I am not going to get good results on this. I am just hoping that whatever is found, was found early.

Trying2staypositive

Hi footballmama, I am going through similar only I also needed a stereo biopsy for microcalcifications first, which I had yesterday. (Same breast separate area) This also all started in early May for me with my screening. They dont have a 3d stereo biopsy machine to biopsy the architectural distortion...so now in 2-3 weeks I get that one done at another location who has the capability. They were going to do an MRI screening and poss MRI biopsy for the architectural distortion at first, but told me they worried about false positives on MRI screening so better to 3d biopsy the area....

Praying for good results for you. Try not to think the worst...not to discount your gut but like djmammo also told me-not seeing an arch distortion on US can be a positive sign its not cancer but something benign. They couldnt see mine on US either. I have seen the study about the 75% malignant also, but it does talk about it being more likely in those where it showed up on a diagnostic mammo (bc they were referred for actual symptoms). To me that is different than just it also showing up/was confirmed on a diagnostic mammo after a screening picks it up. Also the not visualized on ultrasound reference was also less likely to be anything like djmammo said. Hugs to you-waiting is awful. I wont even know about my first biopsy for a week...let alone the arch distortion. It will prob be a month before I know on that one.

footballmomma

I am lucky to live in an area with a large medical industry which includes a medical school and teaching hospital. The waiting is the absolute worst. I realize pathologists have to sleep sometime. I have decided that even if the results do end up benign, I am going to talk to the BS about a possible prophylactic mastectomy. It sounds nuts, but I think that might be the way to go with my family history. I hope your wait for your next biopsy is not too bad and that you get good results. What do they do for the microcalcifications?

Trying2staypositive

I understand re considering the prophy bmx due to the risk...I would think may be ab uphill battle for insurance to cover unless a woman is brca positive but not sure? Its what Ive thought over the years.

As far as microcalcifications, I dont think they do much to remove them unless they need to do an excisional/surgical biopsy to assess them. From what I understand they themselves are not cancer but just sometimes point to one that may or may not be able to be detected yet as a mass. After that biopsy they put a marker in the area.

footballmomma

Insurance will probably drive my decision as I am sure that is a very expensive procedure to have done. I will defintely be discussing my options with the BS.

footballmomma

I got my results today and I have a radial scar. The nurse I spoke with said it could still entail some surgery to remove. The important thing is that it is benign and that makes me happy.

Trying2staypositive

Whew!! I am sooo happy for you footballmama! Great news! Im hoping for a similar benign result. I get the microcalcification result first Thurs. (yikes on all of it) You must be so relieved. I realize they still remove to check theres no bad cells, but chances are pretty low there is from what I understand. Yes I feel the same re: insurance driving a decision re: a prophylactic bmx. Keep me posted on how if all goes and with the radial scar.