Biopsy scheduled - nothing found on MM only US

Haddey

Hi All,

I’m so thankful to have found this group. I’m 31, with an 8 year old son, and I’m losing my mind. Yesterday (11-19) I had a mammogram and ultrasound to investigate a 5mm lump in my left breast found by my gyno during a breast exam. My Bi-Rads category based on the ultrasound is 4b, and my lump is described as a 6x3x5 mm solid nodule at the 2 o’clock periareolar region. It is oval shaped and slightly microlobulated. I have a core needle biopsy scheduled in two week (12-4). Has anyone experienced experienced nothing showing on the MM only the US? The doctor commented on that this lump is very small, but didn’t elaborate. Does anyone know the importance of this being so small

Moderators

Hi Haddey, and welcome to Breastcancer.org,

We're so very sorry for the worries that bring you here, but we're really glad you have found us as well. We know it's a scary time right now, while you wait for answers and more information about what you're dealing with, but we wanted to let you know we're all here for you while you wait. We're sure others will be by shortly to welcome you and weigh in with their experience.

Let us know if there's anything we can do to help!

--The Mods

Beesie

Haddey, yes, it can happen that something shows up on an ultrasound but is not seen on a mammogram. Or the reverse could happen too.

Each screening modality "sees" into the breast differently, so each picks up different things. Each modality is better at seeing some things and worse at seeing others. At 31 you likely have dense breasts (most younger women do) and the way that mammograms see into the breast, a mass could be obscured by the dense breast tissue. This is why ultrasounds are the preferred screening modality for younger women.

A BIRADs 4B means that the Radiologist assesses a 10% - 50% risk that what is showing up on your ultrasound might be cancer. Oval is good; microlobulated is concerning but the that it's "slightly" microlobulated is good. This could be something like a fibroadenoma, which is a common benign mass. They normally are not microlobuated, but they can be. As for the size, this is relevant should this turn out to be malignant. A 6x3x5mm mass is a very small mass, which is therefore more likely to confer a very good prognosis - should it be cancer.

Good luck with the biopsy. And let us know how it goes.

LivinLife

Glad you found us and posted! The waiting for the biopsy and then the results is the hardest part so just know that as you move through these next few weeks. Take good care of yourself to help coping. Enjoy what you choose to do with your days to help distract. Your son will be a big help with that I'm sure. Some kind of exercise with help with stress too.... the waiting for these things really is one of the hardest parts... Hang in there and let us know how things go....

Rah2464

Haddey I will echo Beesie on imaging. My mass didn't show on Mammo or US, only on MRI. Different imaging modalities can catch things based on breast density and location of the mass. So thankful that you have seen this so early (if it even is something). Wishing you great benign results. The waiting can be difficult but hang in there.

Haddey

Thank you all for your support and kind words! I will be sure to keep you updated.

Artemis15

Hi Haddey,

I'm so sorry that you have to wait so long for your biopsy.

I didn't have a palpable lump but at my yearly check up I had a suspicions area that wasn't seen on mammogram and was barely identifiable on my double breast ultrasound that I get every year. So then I had an MRI which showed something suspicious and I was given a BIRAD 4 score and 2 of my doctors indicated that I could possibly have DCIS based on the radiology report. Then I had to wait 2 weeks to have an MRI guided biopsy since nothing could be seen on US. That whole process took a month. And I'm a horrible worrier. I just heard today from my doctor that the pathology showed fibrocystic changes and nothing else.

There's so much good information here and so many helpful people. I found reaching out here preferable to sharing with a lot of people in real life.Wishing you benign results. And hang in there as best as you can.

Haddey

Thanks Artemis! I keep telling myself only 2 more days to wait now. This group has been super helpful so far and I have researched as much as I could only to conclude that only the biopsy results will tell me what's really going on. Congratulations on your benign results!

Haddey

I just had my biopsy. Before he started Iasked the radiologist what he found most concerning and he described the microlobulated margins and that it was slightly taller than wider. The report states that the mass got subsequently smaller with each sample he took. Is this any indication of an outcome?

Christinag53

Did you get your results back yet? I just had a mammogram and ultrasound today after detecting a lump in my left breast. Biopsy is scheduled for the 31st. The waiting is the worar

Haddey

hi! I did get my results and they were “usual ductal hyperplasia with apocrine cyst clusters”. I’m not 100% what that means but I know its benign. Good luck with everything, there is a ton of support here. Thanks