Niece diagnosed with breast cancer

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daisy54
daisy54 Member Posts: 3
edited June 2014 in Caring for Someone with Breast cancer
(this may not be the right place to post this but please direct me if it should be somewhere else)
My 35 year old neice was diagnosed with breast cancer last week. She has three children aged 10, 8 and 2. Her Mom had breast cancer 8 years ago, she was 54 at the time. She's doing great.
My question: My neice had an ultrasound and mammogram last week, they found what they called a 1.5 cm spiculated lump with satellite lesions and adverse changes to the breast tissue... they called her into the doctor the next day and told her she had breast cancer...can they actually determine that without a biopsy or maybe should they be telling her that without doing a biopsy? Now she's going to see a surgeon for a consultation, when she asked about a biopsy they said it was just a consultation...she is worried sick and everyone's telling her that they can't tell its cancer until they do a biopsy?
I'd appreciate any incite...thanks
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  • mdg
    mdg Member Posts: 3,571
    edited September 2012

    The radiologist can sometimes have a very strong idea about whether something is benign or not and some can be pretty accurate, but without a biopsy it can't really be confirmed I would think.  The breast surgeon will be able to get a biopsy or excision done and then you will get the pathology.  Good luck to your neice......so sorry she is in this situation. 

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  • thefuzzylemon
    thefuzzylemon Member Posts: 2,630
    edited September 2012

    Hello...I was told the same thing - they couldn't tell me for sure it was cancer without the biospy.  Ok, well...technically they are right...but if the doctors are worth their weight, they know what they are talking about.  My doctor never even felt the lump...he took one look at the tissue (from at least 2 feet away) and told me I have breast cancer.  My skin had changes as well...

    I do believe that the people I spoke to over the phone (Can they tell me I have Breast Cancer by looking at it??) may have been hoping to create a bigger patient base by wasing my fears, comforting me in my panic and frustration and using this as an opportunity for their business. 

    Best of luck for you and your neice.  I do hope they are wrong, of course.  But I would move forward with the appts and ect until they tell you otherwise.

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  • daisy54
    daisy54 Member Posts: 3
    edited September 2012

    Thank you for your replies...she sees the surgeon next Tuesday, so she'll find out what the next step will be. I feel so bad for her, she's so scared and rightfully so...thanks again. Her Mom had a lumpectomy done but the surgeon missed some of it and had to go back and take more tissue, she opted to have a mastectomy and has been cancer free since. But I'm sure knowing that most likely scares her daughter.

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  • thefuzzylemon
    thefuzzylemon Member Posts: 2,630
    edited September 2012

    Please let her know we are here...have her get on these boards. The knowledge love and support here is second to none.



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