anyone have a mri that showed additional areas?

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shellbell1963
shellbell1963 Member Posts: 39
edited June 2014 in IDC (Invasive Ductal Carcinoma)

I had my breast mri which I was so stressed out about, now I was told there is another suspicious area that needs an ultrasound and possible biopsy. I don't know how much more I can take of this. I don't understand how I could have had mammograms every year, last month an ultra sound and biopsy and now the possibility of another cancer area. Is technology that failing or does the invasion of cancer happen that fast? I feel like this is going to win and I am going to loose this battle. I am beyond upset and worried. I wish I can just rip my breasts off and be done with this ordeal. Sorry I just needed to vent.

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  • edwards750
    edwards750 Member Posts: 3,761
    edited February 2014

    Vent away shell...we all so know how you feel. I had mammograms every year too and lo and behold got the dreaded news in October 2011; Stage II, Grade 1. I don't think its that cancer moves that fast but I am not an authority by any means on aggressive cancer. I am blessed mine is not. As for technology definitely think there is work to be done. To be fair some BC cases like women with ILC like my sister cannot be seen on a regular mammogram. This cancer tends to travel. My sister was faithful with her mammograms too. Thing is how bad do you think it would be if you hadn't gone. Don't lose hope and keep the faith. I know is really difficult to keep your chin up but you can and you will. Keep us posted. Sending prayers your way. Diane

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  • peggy_j
    peggy_j Member Posts: 1,700
    edited February 2014

    I'm sorry to hear you're going through this. It sucks and yes, feel free to vent away!

    I know someone who had multiple spots show up on her B-MRI. She had been debating between getting a lumpectomy or a mastectomy, so the extra spots helped her decide: mastectomy. In her case, they all turned out to be DCIS, so aside from surgery, the other Tx was the same as if she'd only had one spot. (tamox, no rads or chemo)

    I'm not a doctor but my guess is that the cancer is not traveling that fast. As you probably know, each different technology has its strengths and weaknesses. Mammograms, U/S and MRIs all work differently. My understanding is that MRIs can see the smallest tumors of any of the three screening technologies. (best as I can tell, they might be able to detect tumors as small as 3 mm. Mammograms can't do that.) But...MRIs also have a higher rate of false positives. (so it's possible, in your case, that the spots are not cancer). 

    I don't know the details of your Dx to date, but keep in mind that many patients do survive and go on to live long lives. I know one woman who is a 30+ year BC survivor and several who are 15+ year survivors. For me, the testing (and waiting for test results) were always difficult. Yuck. Hang in there. I"ll send you good vibes.

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  • coraleliz
    coraleliz Member Posts: 1,523
    edited February 2014

    I was diagnosed with bilateral BC after 20+ years of mammograms(started @30yr). Nothing showed up but breast density & scattered calcifications. I finally had a palpable lump but that wasn't the cancer. It was one of my lumps being pushed around by my cancer below(right breast). My BS hemmed & hawed about doing an MRI. Due to my breast density & she said I was an " impossible breast exam". A tumor was found in my other breast(left) by MRI. It was in the back, close to my chest wall. This tumor also was associated with 2 positive nodes.

    I sometimes wonder what would have happened had I not had the MRI. I would have gone on to take Tamoxifen. Would it have taken care of my 2nd tumor & those 2 nodes? Or would the tumor have eventually raised it's ugly head & I would be given the diagnosis of a new primary? When it was there all along.

    We need better imaging. Mammograms just don't make the grade

    eta-better wording

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  • voraciousreader
    voraciousreader Member Posts: 7,496
    edited February 2014

    Mammography missed my mucinous tumor.  Ultrasound found it. MRI discovered a "drop" of DCIS.  Cousin was just diagnosed with breast cancer.  Mammograpy and ultrasound missed it.  Was "lucky" she had very dense breasts, so she had an MRI that discovered a very nasty small tumor.

    Bottom line?  We all deserve a better way of finding breast cancer.  It my humble opinion that screening mammograms save fewer lives than what we are led to believe.  Diagnostic mammograms save many more lives and then there are those of us like my cousin and me that mammograms are MEANINGLESS....

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  • Luppie
    Luppie Member Posts: 20
    edited February 2014

    Shellbell1963, I know how you feel. II just had a B-MRI last week that found an additional 8mm spot that has ended the debate of lumpectomy vs mastectomy for me. I had yearly mammograms too, and yet somehow the imaging missed the now total of 3 tumors until the diagnostic mammogram I had 3 weeks ago found two (2.3 cm and 1.8  cm). Just prior to my annual mammo I  saw a barely noticeable dimple above my nipple. Once they did a closer look at that area they found the 2 tumors.  My MO said they may have been quietly growing there for years before they were visible on mammogram.  

    Vent all you need to,.this early time after diagnosis is difficult. I agree that I just want the testing done and to get things moving. 

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  • Rubiayat
    Rubiayat Member Posts: 144
    edited February 2014

    I can relate! After two surgeries in December, I had a MRI two weeks ago because I had some concerns that a second spot found in surgery had not been picked up on the mammogram. The MRI showed something suspicious, had a biopsy and it came back positive for DCIS. Now I am going for my third surgery later this week. While I am thankful to have found this other spot and to have it removed, I am just tired of being cut, poked, squeezed, prodded. No more already! 

    It is quite understandable that you are upset and venting is good. Get it out! You are going to win this battle. If you need a biopsy and it comes back positive, then surgery it is and whatever else it takes.

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  • Rubiayat
    Rubiayat Member Posts: 144
    edited February 2014

    I can relate! After two surgeries in December, I had a MRI two weeks ago because I had some concerns that a second spot found in surgery had not been picked up on the mammogram. The MRI showed something suspicious, had a biopsy and it came back positive for DCIS. Now I am going for my third surgery later this week. While I am thankful to have found this other spot and to have it removed, I am just tired of being cut, poked, squeezed, prodded. No more already! 

    It is quite understandable that you are upset and venting is good. Get it out! You are going to win this battle. If you need a biopsy and it comes back positive, then surgery it is and whatever else it takes.

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  • codavis
    codavis Member Posts: 122
    edited February 2014

    It's frustrating to say the least. I had three years of clear mammograms before the one four years ago that showed "something suspicious." Ultrasound and biopsy confirmed IDC in a barbell shaped, 2 cm+ area of my right breast. My breast surgeon ordered pet scan, bone scan and breast MRI to rule out mets. The scans were clear, but the MRI showed additional suspicious spots. One thing I've learned since then is that MRIs are so sensitive that they result in lots of false positives. Anyway, I had a biopsy of the area identified by MRI--the doc took eight samples all of which were benign! BUT, he was very skeptical, and asked me to have an MRI-guided biopsy so they could be really sure they got the right spot. Sure enough, he identified a second tumor. Because of the location of the second tumor, my breast surgeon recommended mastectomy--he reasoned that  he'd have to take a lot of tissue if he did two lumpectomies and it was very possible he'd have to go back after the surgery to get clear margins. So I had a mastectomy. Final pathology confirmed that the original tumor was really two separate tumors and the third one was also confirmed. In addition, there was DCIS in multiple spots. 

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  • cookiegal
    cookiegal Member Posts: 3,296
    edited February 2014

    Mine was a false positive! 

    I mean I still had breast cancer. but the second tumor on the MRI was not really there. 

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  • MrFu54
    MrFu54 Member Posts: 13
    edited February 2014

    I know how you feel.  In 1/31/14 I was diagnosed with Stage 2 IDC Grade 3 Triple-negative with possible lymph nodes involvement  based on the PET scan results. I have so much to learn from this disease.  I am not scare but I fear the unknown.  Millie from Kansa

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  • Ridley
    Ridley Member Posts: 634
    edited February 2014

    Shellbell - my MRI showed additional areas - for me both ended up being cancer eventually, although it was a long journey.  I had yearly mammos, and at my last mammo had a call back for more views and an ultrasound and given the all clear.  8 months later I had some spontaneous bleeding on that side that led to finding the cancer - invasive in that side (lots of areas) and dcis in the other.  I feel very lucky to have had a couple of MRIs over the last year.  Good luck.

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  • AndreaJ50
    AndreaJ50 Member Posts: 889
    edited February 2014

    When I had my lumpectomy (12/17/2014) they found a small tumor right behind the one they were removing. My margin was 1mm short so I needed a reincision (02/04/2014). But I questioned the possibility if missed tumors in both breasts.

    So my surgeon recommended an MRI. It showed that my lumpectomy breast was all clear. But they found a 1vm neoplasm in the good breast. An MRI guided biopsy determined it was Atypical Lobular Displasia which could develop into cancer.

    I had a excisional biopsy yesterday to see if any cancer was lurking close by. MRI also showed other spots in good breast, but they look benign. We will see what pathology says next week.

    My point is that you need to be vigilant and follow your gut. If my initial lumpectomy had clean margins I would never have pushed for more testing.

    Take care,

    Andrea

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  • mawhinney
    mawhinney Member Posts: 1,377
    edited February 2014

     No one wants to go through endless tests but I try look at the positive side.Each test is different and each test helps to clarify what is going on in my body.  The tests aid the doctors in making informed treatment decisions. My breasts are dense & a mammography doesn't always pick up everything so I also have an ultrasound and an MRI. It was the MRI that picked up my  2nd cancerous spot that was not seen on my mammo. Luckily, my tumors were found when they were tiny.  Had I not had the various tests, my cancers may have been missed and allowed to grow and spread and do more damage. I like to read as much as I can on each test so I have a clear understanding of the benefits and limits of each test. Take care!

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