28 yo single mom of 3

jennlauren

Hi All,

After about a year of weird symptoms - weight gain, fatigue, hormonal issues, menstruation problems, significant armpit odor on right side I had an ultrasound. In the last few months I experienced a lot of breast discomfort and discharge. They found a 22mm solid mass and I am having a biopsy done next Friday. I have three young daughters and am rather nervous. I have no family history of breast or cervical cancer.

If you have had the same symptoms, what was the outcome of the biopsy? Any advice or personal experience is appreciated.

Updating to add, it’s BI-RADS4

Jenn

Melbo

did they give a birad score with the ultrasound? The radiologists often have a good idea of what they are looking at based on imaging. Hopefully whatever they found is benign — there are a ton of benign issues that still get biopsied just to be sure

jennlauren

Yes, BI-RADS4.

Melbo

Birads 4 means there is plenty of hope still that the mass is benign. Statistically speaking, there is only about a 25% chance that a birads 4 is cancer. Keep reminding yourself of that as often as you have to.

This part is absolutely terrifying — the waiting and the wondering and the google rabbit holes that you know you shouldn't be going down. take it one appointment at a time and distract yourself as much as possible. When you can't distract yourself just keep repeating that it's probably benign and even if it does turn out to be cancer, breast cancer is treatable and often has good outcomes.

Good luck

edited to add — sorry I can’t speak to the other symptoms you mentioned. I felt a lump, had a mammo and ultrasound and was birads5 (95% chance it’s cancer).

Salamandra

I'm glad you found your way here, and I'm hoping for benign results for you. This must be incredibly scary, but know that there is still lots and lots of room for news that is on the spectrum from great (totally benign) to just not so bad (cancer but treatable with moderate temporary interference with your life and good long term prognosis) and plenty in between.

This time is tough to get through so lean on whatever resources you have to support your mental and emotional health, and just make it through until you get the news. Which, based on birads 4, has a good chance of being good news. Birads 4 basically mean they think it's probably not cancer but they need to rule cancer out. If they thought it was likely cancer, it would be birads 5. But even if it's not good news, things get easier as you get more information and you will make it through.

Rah2464

Jennlauren, as the other posters have stated, it is more likely than not that you have a benign condition. So glad you are being careful with yourself and that you are being properly evaluated. We all know how difficult this waiting time is and I am so sorry you are having to experience it. Sending Hugs and saying prayers for you, please let us know how things go. Come on here and vent anything you need to get through this. It is an emotional roller coaster for sure.

LivinLife

Want to welcome you jenn! As the others have said BIRADS 4 turns out benign most of the time so hopefully that is true for you. I've had 2 BIRADS 4 turn out to be adenomas and another time DCIS... The waiting is also very difficult as others have said too!!!