I year out..and now birads 3??

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IsThisForReal
IsThisForReal Member Posts: 384

I just got a call from my radiation oncology nurse.  Seems my 1st mammo is showing tissue changes...could be related to radiation but not sure.  They are recommending an US and mammo every 6 months now.  My GP booked the US 2 weeks ago and I'll go on the 29th.  Meanwhile, I'm STILL waiting to get in for my BLM.  I called the Sx office...she's supposed to call me back.  I'm still on herceptin..... 

Here we go again....I sure hope this is nothing.

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  • IsThisForReal
    IsThisForReal Member Posts: 384
    edited December 2010

    I've probably posted on the wrong board - any one else going or have gone through this while still on herceptin?

  • changes
    changes Member Posts: 622
    edited December 2010

    Hi,

    I'm not HER2 + but your post caught my eye. I had my six month mammo a few weeks ago and came back BIRADS 3, as did the follow-up mammos for several other women who went through radiation around the same time. I was totally freaked out, but apparently it's fairly common to get that rating following radiation.

    Wishing you the best!

    Karen

  • Titan
    Titan Member Posts: 2,956
    edited December 2010

    I think they are just being careful with you...isn't birads 3 95% BENIGN??

  • suzieq60
    suzieq60 Member Posts: 6,059
    edited December 2010

    I was still on herceptin when I got a BIRADS 3 reading on an MRI in the other breast - turned out to be grade 2 IDC that was undiagnosed last year. It was not HER2+ve. I've just had it removed.

  • IsThisForReal
    IsThisForReal Member Posts: 384
    edited December 2010

    Thank you for your responses ladies.  My mind is a little more at ease after reading your posts and learning this is fairly common after radiation.  I'm only 3 1/2 months out from rads at this time, so I guess it certainly could be fibrosis seeing it's so early.  I'll go for the US and take it from there.  At least the right breast is clear, so that's some good news. And my wonderful surgeon STILL hasn't called me back, so I'm going to book an appt. with another surgeon to see if he'll do the BLM.  I really don't want to go through this every 6 months.

    Sue - I'm sorry to hear about your BIRADS 3 in the opposite breast, that must've been so stressful and I can certainly relate.

  • suzieq60
    suzieq60 Member Posts: 6,059
    edited August 2013

    It's all good - cut out and gone and no more chemo just rads which I can live with. There were 2 more BIRADS 3 spots that turned out to be ADH - they couldn't see them on the mammo but I had them removed to be safe.

  • IsThisForReal
    IsThisForReal Member Posts: 384
    edited December 2010

    Prevention is key Sue.  That's where I"m at also with the blm.  I definitely want to prevent any local recurrence if possible.  Maybe my surgeon is giving me time to heal first before seeing me?  The office said I'd see her late spring....  The uncertaintly of this drives me sometimes.  Guess I just want it done yesterday. 

  • suzieq60
    suzieq60 Member Posts: 6,059
    edited December 2010

    I haven't gone down the bmx route yet. I want to give the Arimidex, herceptin, zometa etc a chance to work. Seeing this new cancer was only grade 2 and seems to have been there a year ago, I decided to be conservative at this stage. IF (a big if) there is an next time then a bmx is on the cards.

  • Boo307
    Boo307 Member Posts: 222
    edited December 2010

    Here is the definition of the BI RADS scoring system.

    BI-RADS Assessment Categories are

    0: Incomplete

    • 1: Negative
    • 2: Benign finding(s)
    • 3: Probably benign
    • 4: Suspicious abnormality
    • 5: Highly suggestive of malignancy
    • 6: Known biopsy - proven malignancy
    • (Source: American College of Radiology (ACR) Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System Atlas (BI-RADS Atlas). Reston, Va: © American College of Radiology; 2003)

    For the entire story see:  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BI-RADS

    Boo

  • IsThisForReal
    IsThisForReal Member Posts: 384
    edited December 2010

    Thank you Boo - I will keep you ladies updated after my us.  I guess I'm not a big fan of lumpectomies since the risk of recurrence is higher...but hindsight is 20/20 right.

  • IsThisForReal
    IsThisForReal Member Posts: 384
    edited January 2011
    Good news ladies!  I can't even believe it Smile  The ultrasound came back that I either had a hematoma or seroma and was advised to have an ultrasound guided needle core biopsy.  Spoke to my Onc. in the meantime, and went for an MRI yesterday.  Today the office called...the fluid is absolutely and completely benign!!  I actually got some good news in all this mess, can't even believe it!  So now, of course, my question is...fluid can be positve for cancer???? 
  • suzieq60
    suzieq60 Member Posts: 6,059
    edited January 2011

    Good news!!! Sounds like you're in the clear. I hope you get that confirmation from your surgeon.

    Sue

  • IsThisForReal
    IsThisForReal Member Posts: 384
    edited January 2011
    Thanks Sue Smile  I have just signed the consent form for the BLM, and surgeon thinks it will be late spring, at the very latest.  Fantastic news!

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