Second Biopsy Needed After Cancer Diagnosis

CoreyJRob

Hello,

My name is Corey and my mother was very recently, as in 2 days, diagnosed with an invasive ductal carcinoma in her left breast. We were terrified to begin with after her first biopsy when they said she had a 95 percent chance of having it, and then we still had to wait over a week for the confirmation; but luckily they already had a comprehensive plan established for her to follow upon that visit, including removal surgery scheduled for next month. The doctor categorized it as stage 1, so the only way I can explain it is good news for the terrible news..... Anyway, she had to get an MRI done yesterday to ensure nothing else was wrong, and now they just called today and are asking her to come in for a second biopsy in a couple days..... Now its right back to the terrified phase, because they did not explain exactly what is wrong, they just said she needs another biopsy.... Does anyone know why this may be? could it have spread to her lymph-nodes and not been identified on the first one? is this normal for recently diagnosed patients? Any insight or shared experiences will be greatly appreciated.

cm2020

I am in the same position. I was also called back today for a second biopsy based on a new mass found on the MRI. I don't have any advice since this is all new to me too. But I wanted you to know I am thinking of you and your mom.

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Beesie

Once we've been diagnosed, a good surgeon wants to ensure that he/she has the whole picture before operating, and that's why newly diagnosed patients are often sent for MRIs prior to surgery. MRIs are very sensitive, which is a good thing, but it also means that they have a high false positive rate.

Corey, lots of people who've come through this site have been in the same situation as your mother. In some cases, a second area of breast cancer is found, but in most cases, the biopsy turns out to be benign. I too required a biopsy because my pre-surgery imaging spotted something in my other breast. The finding was totally benign.

I wouldn't be concerned that this biopsy relates to the lymph nodes. Your mother will be having a sentinel node biopsy when she has her lumpectomy, and that's how the nodes will be checked. Hopefully the MRI didn't show anything suspicious in the nodes, but regardless, it's extremely unlikely that your mother would be called in for a needle biopsy of the nodes.

Corey, good luck to your mother, and cm2020, good luck to you. Hopefully both of these second biopsies turn out to be benign.

CoreyJRob

Thank you both for your timely responses, I truly appreciate it. I guess we just need to wait a little longer and try not to stress about it too much in the meantime .Best wishes cm2020, I pray you and my mom both have some positive news coming your way shortly.

toria1212

CoreyJRob,

I am new to this journey as well, and know that I am praying for your mom! The not knowing is so difficult. The covid19 stuff is causing more alarm to all, and BC is never an easy topic to confront. I read, then take days off, I investigate, then take a break(kind of like it's not happening). Maybe some denial, I dunno, but the pandemic takes a lot of brain space right now.

Hoping your mom receives positive information soon.

(((hugs)))

kathabus

Hi...this happened in my case and I needed an MRI guided biopsy because they couldn’t find it on the ultrasound. Only the MRI. It turned out to be a papilloma. Not cancerous, but still needed to be removed. So I actually had 2 lumpectomies. One for the tumor and one for the papilloma. I was very scared the second one was another tumor...but I’m my case it wasn’t. Keep us posted! 💜

Nelsonfam05

I was just diagnosed last week. I had to have another biopsy as well. I have a couple suspicious lymph’s, one of them was biopsied and another mass as well. I call it my 2fer, 2 biopsies at the same time. I meet with the surgeon on Tuesday and have the mri on Thursday. As of right now I have more unanswered questions then answered ones. I don’t really have advise but just know you and your mom aren’t alone.

OnTarget

I had to get a 2nd biopsy because the MRI found two suspicious items in my good (right) breast. One of them ended up being cancer, so the bilateral mastectomy made sense, rather than just a single. I was glad they did their due diligence! I would have hated to think that I had another cancer when that tiny cancer on the right grew large enough to see in 3 or 5 years. I was happy to have a clean sweep and have it all taken out at once.