BIRADS 5 on US biopsy in two days

Chirodani

Hello everyone,

Brand new here and not sure I'm doing this right!

For those who have experience--I should just assume I have some type of cancer, correct? I'm freaking out with the lymph node notations and just all of the plans I had for our dream trip to Spain in September.

These are my findings after the diagnostic mammograms and ultrasound--I have calcifications on the left and in the right breast at 9 o'clock they found a 1.1cm mass middle depth 4cm from the nipple. They also found two masses at 9-10 o'clock, 1cm from the nipple adjacent to each other measuring up to 7mm. I also have a non-palpable lymph node in right axilla with thickened cortex, other smaller right axillary lymph nodes with mildly thicken cortices. IMPTESSION: HIGHLY SUGGESTIVE OF MALIGNANCY, ULTRASOUND HIGHLY SUGGESTIVE OF MALIGNANCY.

Yes, they put it in all caps. Ugh. What are the next steps???? My biopsy is in two days and I just want to know!!

Thank you for any guidance y'all can give me!

LivinLife

Soooo feel for you with such a report Chirodani.... Of course you're anxious.... It truly does sounds like they believe it is cancer so I would prepare yourself while also holding onto some hope it is either benign or DCIS... Glad your biopsy is in 2 days (vs. 2 weeks). Hopefully you get results early next week or so at latest. The waiting is soooo difficult!!! Do what you can to distract yourself with things you like doing this week and over the weekend for sure. You will still have worry on your mind too.... I hope you have support at home too? We're here regardless - great info and support on this site!!! Please keep us updated....

Chirodani

Thank you so much! I will definitely keep you posted. The planner/worrier in me is just so overwhelmed with the terminology, the treatment options, etc. And, how insane am I to think maybe I get a mastectomy in July and fly to Spain in September. Or, put off any surgery until the trip is over??? I'm having a bit of a pity party over here!

Melbo

a lot will depend on the biopsy results. If it is cancer there is a chance (not necessarily a great chance, but a chance) that it could be slow growing enough that they could delay surgery. However, depending on the results they may also suggest chemo before surgery. You really can’t make any decisions or plans until you have more information — which is just how this stupid cancer train rolls. I think bi-rads 5 turn out to be malignant 95% of the time (someone else might chime in with the actual statistic, but it’s way up there).

There is also a chance that you could get a mastectomy and travel in sept. I had a lumpectomy, but I’m sure some other ladies who had mastectomies might chime in. It would probably also depend on your age and general health

Chirodani

Thank you for your reply! Every little bit of info helps. I'm 51, pretty good overall health although I stress ate myself through the pandemic and gained a lot of weight. The crazy thing was I started making all of my "check up" exams because I think I have pelvic prolapse. Sorry if that's TMI but I really wasn't even concerned about my mammogram. The only history in my family of breast cancer was my paternal grandmother and she got it when she was 80 years old (along with some uterine cancer just for fun). Now, of course, I'm worried about my other discomforts being other cancers. The PAP was fine but uterine? Ovarian? Wow, life sure takes some turns, doesn't it! I don't want to tell my kids anything until I know more but really not looking forward to that. I have an adult son (we are sooo close) and two teenage daughters (also super close). The girls struggled so hard this last year that I hate to add to their anxiety and depression. I guess, good news, is they are already set up with therapists, etc. Sigh. My husband just isn't talking about it (his MO for anything that is worrying him) and we, honestly, have been more like roommates for the last few years. Was considering divorce before this, now wondering if we'll grow closer or go down in a pile of flames.

Sorry--my mind is running.....

2019whatayear

I mean, of course you are going down all sorts of rabbit holes, this is a scary time.

Sorry about the results, like overall I would say that report is not great--but heck yes, could be benign. Or could be DCIS? If you want some general timelines, if it is cancer and if surgery is the first step and if you would be doing a mastectomy plus reconstruction, it's unlikely that you'd be able to get all that scheduled before mid-August. If it's cancer and chemo is the first step, I don't know that you or your medical staff would want to wait until after Spain.

Being a person who loves a plan, I would say maybe think about how you might have to reschedule Spain and how that would work--just so you have some times to roll it around in your brain and map out what that would look like, just in case. And if you haven't already bought travel insurance, I'd buy it right now.

Hugs, the not knowing STINKS!

Melbo

chirodani— I hear you! It’s just so stressful and crazy. I was diagnosed in mid-July and was scheduled to move to Germany in October. Instead I had to cancel the move and started chemo in August — a month after seeing the OB to get a lump checked out. Sometimes you just have to roll with it.

Anonymous

I'd suggest that if the biopsy confirms the U/S that you wait to tell the rest of the family until you have more information. I made the mistake of telling my parents I had cancer post biopsy discussion, but I didn't know my treatment plan which clearly didn't go the way anyone thought it was going to go and a whole mess of other stuff happened so I finally didn't actually tell them the reality until a few weeks ago. My point is that there is a lot of benefit of sharing bad news when you have full information - in this instance your hormone status, grade, preliminary stage, and proposed treatment plan, so you can respond and plan with all the information on board. This may help calm the anxiety in the house and how everyone else is responding to uncertainty.

I wouldn't worry too much about Spain either - it will always be there, but they may not have the best Covid situation once the European summer holidays are over and even if you have to delay to after treatment, it may end up being the best outcome all around.

Chirodani

OMG, thank you everyone for being so informative and friendly and helpful! I will set my planning brain into figuring out how to make this trip happen another time. And, I think it may be better to wait a bit longer post-Covid to go to Europe.

I appreciate everyone giving me some possible next steps. I think everything I've ever thought about breast cancer is about to be challenged. I'm finding out that I don't know anything! hahaha!

Bookpusher

Sending you big hugs! I am waiting on my biopsy report. Just had it yesterday. It was a stereotactic biopsy, and it was not nearly as bad as I was imagining. Kind of feels like we've entered the twilight zone, doesn't it?

Like others have said, the waiting is awful. Try to take it one day at a time. Decisions will hinge on our test results. Best wishes are being sent your way

Chirodani

Bookpusher, sending you big hugs too! I'm having both a stereotactic biopsy and two core needle biopsies. Glad to hear yours wasn't bad. Sending you big hugs too!

Yes, this is definitely the twilight zone but this community is amazing!! Keep us posted on your results!

kimbahtx

just joining in and happy to have found this community and this post. I saw BIRADS 5 on my report several days after a diagnostic mammo and ultrasound. My doc did not tell me the BIRADS number when she ordered the biopsy and I didn’t know to ask for it on the spot since it was my first time. I read it on my report and googled, which is not the best way to find out there is a 95% chance you have cancer. My biopsy isn’t for another week and a half which is AGONY but I am prepared for bad news based on everything I’ve read. I’m 38 and I’m terrified.

1982M

Hi kimbahtx,

Im sorry your going through this as well. It's scary as heck. I've read multiple times this waiting between test and then results is the worst part.

I'm in a similar boat but had my biopsy on Thursday. Bi-RADS 4C. I'm 39 years old. I'm not sure why I am a 4C and not a 5. I asked for a differential diagnosis and they said radIal scar, but those go to surgery too. The first radiologist used the words 'highly suspicious malignancy' and the second radiologist who did the biopsy wrote invasive along with suspicion. My nodule/mass has spiculated margins which is the greatest characteristic on ultrasound (how mine was found) for malignancy. So what I know so far is it's likely malignant, and I'll have some type of surgery. I also know that most cancers actually grow slowly and that most people with breast cancer have good outcomes. I can easily get ahead of myself so I keep away from info I don't need and makes me anxious.

However, with both 4C & 5's I've saw others post finding out they don't have Cancer. For myself, prepping for a cancer diagnosis makes sense. I'm a realist, and likely no matter what at a 4C or a 5, it should go to surgery but doesn't mean anything else until they tell me.

Someone on here had a signature or something that said “don't borrow from tomorrow's sorrow' and when I find myself getting into negative thoughts, I say that to myself and ground myself in what I know right now (which unfortunately isn't a lot).

Sending you lots of love and light. Again, I'm sorry your going through this. I hope you get concrete answers soon.

kimbahtx

thank you @1982M - That is the mindset I have been trying to have lately too. I also haven’t told any of my family yet as I don’t want them to also have this time to worry until I know more(I’m doing enough of that for all of us). Thank you for the well wishes - sending them right back to you too.

LivinLife

Welcome kimbah! There is still a change of benign for you though as you stated it is a small chance. Maybe DCIS if not benign would be next best case scenario. Best to prepare yourself for cancer given the BIRADS 5 then if it's better than that all the more reason to celebrate! Some waiting for biopsy and then results.... take good care of you during this next 2 weeks or so... check out some of the "lighter" forums and threads on this site to help the wait - cats, dogs, humor/games, exercise, funny or interesting YouTube videos, etc.

Salamandra

Hey 1982M and kimbahtx,

My lump was found on my 38th birthday. The beginning is terrifying. If I could go back and tell myself something, I would try to get myself to believe that early stage was the likeliest outcome and and early stage prognoses can be very treatable, and be a temporary change of life rather than permanent. This turned out to be the case for me, at least so far.

The cancer and treatment really wasn't that bad. The fear was awful.

Maybe the cancer will come back and kill me, maybe it won't. But the possibility of a cancer coming and killing me would exist regardless of this prior diagnosis.

Hang in there, make use of all available emotional/mental health supports (there are plenty out there), and good luck!!

Chirodani

Sorry to keep everyone hanging but yesterday was exhausting. I had some great news though! The cancer in my right breast is a clinical stage 1A! That's good, right?

She says the slight calcification in the lymph nodes was probably nothing but they will, of course, do a sentinel node biopsy. She immediately took blood so that we could test for the whole gamut of genetic mutations. That will traje two weeks. In the meantime I will meet with the oncologist and the plastic surgeon (in case I do mammogram with reconstruction).

So my options are: If genetic tests are negative-- right breast lumpectomy+chemo+radiation OR right breast mastectomy+chemo. Then, of course, I can decide on reconstruction. If the genetic tests are positive I have the above choices and/or I can have a mastectomy of the left breast.

If my genetic tests are positive I am leaning towards a double mastectomy. I was also leaning towards no reconstruction but now I'm thinking I may go through with that (since they said they can do it the same day).

Also, they said because we caught it so early I don't need any scans (unless it shows up in the lymph glands). That makes me a little nervous.

So, lots of procedures coming up but at least I know the plan!! Sounds like I should be in surgery by mid to late August!

To those recently told they have a BIRADS 5 I send you love, light and healing!