Sudden change in right breast

Jrine890709

I have an apt with GP tomorrow morning for the symptoms I have been experiencing in my right breast. My right breast is significantly larger than my left, there are red little bumps on my right breast, I can feel a hard lump under my right breast, my right breast has gotten heavier feeling than my left. I do have mutations in my BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes and family members in both sides of my family. My mom is a nurse and when I called her last night about what I have noticed over the past couple weeks she got worried and pretty much demanded that that see my doctor ASAP. Is there anything specific ask at apt

Veeder14

Hi,

I would ask for an urgent referral to a breast specialist as well as getting a mammogram, ultrasound or MRI right away. The GP will be able to make referrals. Did you mean you have already tested positive for BRAC 1 or 2? if you are then enhanced testing and treatment if needed is usually arranged. at least that’s what happened to me. Maybe your symptoms will turn out to be nothing but it’s still good to get checked out. let us know how it goes

Jrine890709

Yes I tested positive for both BRCA1 and BRCA2. I will be 30 next month, when I was pregnant with my last child in 2017 I asked my OB about when I should start to get mammograms since I had tested positive but she just shrugged it off like it wasn’t a big deal given my age.

Veeder14

Sorry to hear you are positive for both BRAC mutations. You may need to see an Oncology gyn since the regular gyn usually doesn’t specialize in BRAC.I was initially referred from the genetic counselor to a breast surgeon to discuss surgery or getting scans, etc on a regular basis. Also, to an Onc gyn to discuss surgery and preventive scans, The genetic counselor explained what the mutations mean and gave me info about enhanced survillance, etc. I didn’t find out I was BRAC positive until a few years ago and I’m twice your age.Since you are young I would definitely get seen by the specialists and see what they recommend for you, it can be quite over whelming so just try and get as much info as you can

Jrine890709

I will definitely ask my GP today for a referral to a breast specialist. The only reason I got tested for BRCA was due to my family’s history and it being on both sides of the family. The OB wouldn’t send me to a genetic counselor for the testing so I went to an independent lab and had the testing done myself and paid for it out of pocket because I wanted to be informed. I have three children ages 11,10, 1.5, they need their momma. They are my main reason for wanting to find out

Veeder14

You did the right thing going to get tested, maybe change OB since that doctor doesn’t sound very supportive. Good luck today with your appt

Jrine890709

GP ordered ultrasound and diagnostic mammogram. When I called the breast cancer center to set up the imaging they asked my symptoms and history. After I gave them the info they requested that I be seen today. I’m glad that they want to see me right away so that I can know and have peace of mind.

CGLion

I'm so glad they are getting you in today! Hopefully they will be able to give you answers right away also. You may already know, but sometimes you can have a clear diagnostic mammo and US and something can still be going on. It does not mean it has to be the big C, but having those scans be clear is not as fool proof as we want to believe. This happened to me and I pushed for answers due to my clinical symptoms and family history. Had an MRI and it came back suspicious. I'm getting a biopsy for that later today.

So trust your instincts and continue to ask for answers until they can tell you what's going on.

Best of luck today!

Jrine890709

Thank you! They said I will have the results before I leave.Yes I will definitely press it if need me. This sudden change in my right breast is abnormal for me and I want stop asking questions until they can give me a diagnosis on what it is. Best of luck to today as well!

santabarbarian

Ask direct questions... do you see any signs of a tumor? What explains my symptoms? Is there any involvement in my lymph nodes? What is my Birads score? They may also order an MRI or a biopsy. They often place a marker where the possible growth is, so they can track the right spot should it seem to disappear. I am glad you have a fast, responsive medical team!

Jrine890709

Update

The doctor found something suspicious on my left breast in the mammogram so he did an ultrasound on the left as well. My right didn’t show anything suspicious. The doctor said that the ultrasound on my left looks suspicious. One of the papers they gave me states that I need to have a ultrasound guided biopsy on the left breast ASAP (they scheduled it for this coming up Monday morning) and a consultation with a breast specialist (breast surgeon) is recommended.

I work for the hospital that did my testing so I am waiting on them to finalize the report for the mammogram and ultrasound so I can pull my chart up and read it.

Veeder14

I'm sorry to hear that the doctor found something suspicious on mammogram however it's good they are getting you in quickly for the biopsy. That's handy you can pull up your own medical records and read them right away. Let us know how the biopsy goes.

Jrine890709

Do any of you know the reasons that a doctor would want to do a biopsy after having a mammogram and ultrasound done?

I felt so confused after the ultrasound and when they said that they needed to do the biopsy I didn’t even think about asking any questions.

Veeder14

Hi,

If the doctor sees an area that doesn’t look normal or looks suspicious and they want to be sure what it is. In order to be sure they need tissue to biopsy. Mine looked suspicious on MRI but didn’t show up on mammogram or ultrasound so had an MRI biopsy. I was given the option of waiting for several months and repeating the MRI but decided to get the biopsy right away since I had the BRAC2.

You must not have seen your reports yet, it usually takes awhile for radiology to write it up. I know it’s confusing and stressful however you do have the right to know why a diagnostic or treatment is being recommended, and to decide yes or no

CGLion

When you see the report there should be an area near the beginning that is titled "impression" or something similar. On each of my reports the radiologist stated the features they felt were most important, and if they were concerning or not.

You should also have a BIRADS score listed on the report. That is a bit of an indication of how suspicious the radiologist is about what they saw on the imaging.

This is a website from the American Cancer Society that generally breaks down what the score means.

https://www.cancer.org/cancer/breast-cancer/screen...

Hoping you get to see your report soon!

My biopsy went well, but I'm pretty sore. The samples were all taken from the retro areolar area and I was warned it was the most sensitive location. So hopefully yours will be at a different spot!

Jrine890709

This is what the report says about my left breast. It's says I am a BIRADs4.

There is 0.5 cm round focal asymmetry in the left breast at 3 o'clock middle depth 7.7 cm from the nipple. Ultrasound demonstrates 0.5 cm x 0.8 cm x 0.3 cm oval mass with a circumscribed margin at 2 o'clock middle depth 4 cm from the nipple. This oval
mass is hypoechoic with no posterior acoustic features.

It the doctors note it also says based on Tyrer-Cuzick risk assessment score is 8 and that patient has a 75% chance of having breast cancer in her lifetime.

MelissaDallas

jrine, anything estimated to have even a 3% chance of being cancer is recommended for biopsy, so most biopsies are benign. Oval, circumscribed and no posterior acoustic features are good things that lean towards it being benign. They are ruling out cancer, not ruling it in. Better than 80% of birads 4s are benign

Jrine890709

That makes me feel a lot better. Thank you! I am confused in what the dimensions stand for like is the first number the height X width x length

santabarbarian

meanwhile whats happening on the right? sometimes ILC does not show up well on mammo...

Jrine890709

They didn't seem to concerned about my right but it's still swollen and itchy. The report says: There is an area of fibroglandular tissue in the right breast lower inner aspect posterior depth. This correlates as palpated and with skin marker. Ultrasound demonstrates an area of fibroglandular tissue at 5 - 7 o'clock posterior depth.

Best way I can describe how my right breast feels is like it’s full of milk and I am late feeding/pumping. I haven’t breastfeed or pumped in almost two years but it feels like it’s gorged.

I have no clue what any of it means.