Mammogram and Breast ultrasound (1st time)

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bm21
bm21 Member Posts: 1
edited February 2015 in Waiting for Test Results

Hi! I recently had a mammogram and breast ultrasound and as per the report there were multiple modules found in my left and right breast, both have 15 cyst noted. The result says BIRADS category 3 for mammography while for the ultrasound BIRADS 2. I haven't discussed the result yet with my doctor but I'm worried if the test is enough to know that all the cysts were benign in nature. FYI, my mom has been diagnosed with breast cancer stage 4 last September 2013 and still undergoing chemotheraphy and my eldest sister has breast cancer stage 1 diagnosed last year and had undergone 6 sessions of chemotheraphy.

Hope someone can enlighten me on this. Actually I don't want to discuss the result to my mother and sister since I don't want them to worry.

Thank you for your help!

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  • leaf
    leaf Member Posts: 8,188
    edited February 2015

    There is always some imaging that is wrong - otherwise they wouldn't need to do any biopsies.

    Its totally understandable you are worried with your family history. I totally understand why you don't want to discuss your results with your mother or sister.

    Of course, I'm not a radiologist or physician, but this paper examined the accuracy of BIRADS scores in ultrasound cysts. They don't list any histological exams from the ultrasound BIRADS 2 group . Histological examinations were available from 84 (17.1%) masses that had been classified by BI-RADS as Category 3, in 97 (43.1%) from Category 4 and 106 (75.2%) from Category 5. Accordingly, the rate of malignant findings was 1.2% (n = 1) in Category 3, 17% (n = 16) in Category 4 and 94% (n = 100) in Category 5. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18421795

    This may give you some idea about the rates you are looking at. Of course, you need to speak to your doctor about your particular situation, and to make sure (s)he knows your family history. If you haven't had genetic testing, perhaps you may want to consider talking to your doctor about that, regardless of your results.

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  • tgtg
    tgtg Member Posts: 266
    edited February 2015

    Hi, bm21--Here's the Amer. Cancer Society's explanation of BiRads 3:

    "Category 3: Probably benign finding – Follow-up in a short time frame is suggested

    The findings in this category have a very high chance (greater than 98%) of being benign (not cancer). The findings are not expected to change over time. But since it's not proven benign, it's helpful to see if the area in question does change over time.

    Follow-up with repeat imaging is usually done in 6 months and regularly after that until the finding is known to be stable (usually at least 2 years). This approach helps avoid unnecessary biopsies, but if the area does change over time, it still allows for early diagnosis."

    In other words, your results don't sound overwhelmingly threatening, but will require additional observation for a while. And birads 2 is even less threatening,

    That said, though ,be sure to tell the doctor about your mother and sister when you talk with him in the next day or 2--their b.c. histories are more information related to you for him/her to use in evaluating your results and in planning your follow-ups. Even though, as the bco site repoorts, only a small percentage of breast cancers are hereditary in nature, the doctor should have this familial information about you nevertheless.

    I wish you a calm few days as you wait to hear from the doctor, tgtg

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