Need everyones opinon!

Options
Bailey1
Bailey1 Member Posts: 5
edited June 2014 in IBC (Inflammatory Breast Cancer)

I found this website a few weeks back when I noticed my right breast was swollen.That was the beginning of September.At that time I was really tender and had some itchyness.I went in for a mammo/us, which were neg.Got a MRI, which showed some enhancement.Which it sounds like that can still be normal? Since then, my breast doesn't feel as full or swollen.Its soft and lumpy like before.Maybe a little sore in spots. It's just bigger now! It was always the bigger one of the two though.I haven't had any skin changes. Just saw a breast surgeon(highly recommended) yesterday.She seemed confident that it was breast hypertrophy.Which is interesting because I had never heard of this before.Its where one or both breasts grow rapidly.I looked it up when I got home and I couldn't find much info on it though.Sounds like it happens more during puberty/pregnancy...which is not the case for me.The doctor told me to definetely call her if anything changes right away, but that she has quite a few patients with this. My question to all of you is should I have asked her for a biopsy????  Thanks for your input!

· Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Comments

  • Caseysmom
    Caseysmom Member Posts: 507
    edited October 2008

    Bailey1:

    My opinion is yes you should request a biopy.  I know that my mammogram ect.. all came back negative.  From all that I have read about IBC the only true way that they can dx this through a skin biopsy.

    Laura 

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • erika-canada
    erika-canada Member Posts: 142
    edited October 2008

    Hi Bailey1:

    I definitely agree with Caseysmom, a biopsy is the only sure way!! That way you can put your mind at ease. Often skin thickening is extremely difficult to diagnose and may not show up even with MRI.

    Good luck and keep us up-dated.

    Erika 

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Bailey1
    Bailey1 Member Posts: 5
    edited October 2008

    If there is not a specific skin change, how do they decide where to biopsy?

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • ibcspouse
    ibcspouse Member Posts: 613
    edited October 2008

    Bailey1,

    The information you get here will vary a good bit, many times it will conflict because IBC  progresses into symtoms in different ways. First, a skin biopsy if you do not have specific skin changes still may not answer your question.  Two thirds of the surface of your breast may not be affected and you can still have IBC.  IBC is a clinical dx rather than a pathological DX because a skin bx can be clean because the sample is from a clean area.   Many things can be done, depending on your Doctor's recommendation and what your insurance will pay for.  PET/CT scan, Cancer markers ca127, ca 129 from blood test, have MRI DVD sent to a IBC research clinic..University of MI or MD Anderson for reading.  Ask the radiologist has he ever seen or dx a case of IBC...  My wife's cousin has been a radiologist for thirty years, Had several MRI machines in trailors set up at Hospitals in NC  but he had never seen IBC.  So getting a second reading is a good idea.  You can get your own copy of your MRI on a DVD.  Skin thickness is easily seen on MRI, it may not be read right, but since the skin is the line you see that separates the breast tissue from the outside, it is just a matter or measuring the thickness of that line. 

    Best of luck and tell your Dr your fears and concerns, see if they will order other test or referal

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Categories