Cancer within Fibroadenoma

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SummerAngel
SummerAngel Member Posts: 1,006
edited September 2015 in Just Diagnosed

Hi all, this is my first post. I found a lump a little over a month ago, they ended up doing a core biopsy (5 samples) that came back as a fibroadenoma. The doctor asked if I wanted it removed or watched. She suggested I remove it so I did. I found out last week that the results on the entire mass came back with cancer. The mass was 3.9 x 3 x 2.1 cm and the cancer was 2.2 cm. The cancer is described as IDC with tubular features, grade 1, Estrogen and Progesterone positive, waiting on the Her2/neu results. (They also found DCIS, cribriform type.)

So now I find myself in an odd situation because this is unusual. They didn't check my lymph nodes at all and the cancer went right to the edge of the mass they took out. The plan is to give me an MRI to check for more cancer, and I'm not sure what we'll do with my breast. I already have a 2 inch incision and a large chunk of flesh out of it - I'm a B cup, not all that much to spare - but there is still cancer in there.

Did anyone have a similar experience and do you think the MRI next is the right way to go? I do have swollen lymph nodes but I also have mixed connective tissue disease so that could be the cause.

Right now I'm mainly just angry, because I'm 45, take good care of myself, and have no risk factors at all except early onset of my period (11). There are hardly any people at all in my family who have had cancer. Sigh.

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  • kcat2013
    kcat2013 Member Posts: 391
    edited April 2015

    Summer, I'm sorry you find yourself with this. I'm sure you weren't expecting those results! I think your dr is being prudent in ordering a MRI. It can detect things a mammo or ultrasound doesn't. The MRI will probably help the surgeon with her recommendation of how to handle your breast that the tumor was removed from.

    Kendra


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  • Janet456
    Janet456 Member Posts: 507
    edited April 2015

    A similar thing happened to me. My lump was 5cm by 3cm and was a tubular adenoma. Once the whole lump was taken away and analysed they found the DCIS on the outside edge of it. x

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  • SummerAngel
    SummerAngel Member Posts: 1,006
    edited April 2015

    Thank you for the replies! I admit I'm a bit sad that so few people replied. I guess I'm just trying to process everything and I know so little about what I'll end up dealing with that it's frustrating. I haven't cried at all, though, which seems weird to the people I've told. I guess they expect a lot of tears, but I just don't feel like crying. I am scared, though, especially because I'm a single mom to three teenagers. Well, one isn't my biological child but I've been taking care of him for over two years now. I don't have any help financially and my oldest is a freshman in college. My youngest is only 15.

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  • Jennie93
    Jennie93 Member Posts: 1,018
    edited April 2015

    Summer, I feel for you. I have never heard of such a thing so it must be pretty rare. I had a biopsy on the "good side" on a lump that the PET scan found, it turned out to be a fibroadenoma. They put a marker in that spot. I asked why and they said, in case it shows up on a future mammo or scan, we will know we already biopsied that spot and it was benign. I said, what if it turns into cancer? And they said that doesn't happen.

    So your experience threw me for a loop, as they say. A bit scary!

    Personally if I was in your shoes, I would go for the BMX and be done with it. But that's a very personal decision that each person has to decide what is best for them.


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  • ml143333
    ml143333 Member Posts: 658
    edited April 2015

    I am so sorry you had to join our group.  I know that before my BMX, my BS had an MRI done with contrast but I guess every practice is a bit different.  I know several people on these boards that have had swollen lymph nodes and they were negative so don't jump to the negative side until you have to.

    My husband always tells me "don't do there until you have to". 

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  • Lolis197138
    Lolis197138 Member Posts: 512
    edited April 2015

    Hi Summer,

    I haven't heard of situation like yours. I had a fibroadenoma for years (almost 10yrs) and it never changed. Even when I had the pathology report after my mastectomy the fibroadenoma was still fibroadenoma. 

    I would wait for the MRI results first and then decide. As I was waiting for the results of my biopsy I thought of going for a BMX from the beginning but then I changed my mind. Now I am thinking to remove the other healthy dense breast as I don't know to worry every time I go for a mammo/MRI. 

    Surf this forum as it has a lot of info that will help you with you decision. 

    Good luck!!

    Hugs!!

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  • daisylover
    daisylover Member Posts: 310
    edited April 2015

    Summer, I am sorry that you have received this news. Everyone's experience is so individual. My MRI did not show cancer or pre-cancers on the prophylactic side (had Bilateral Mastectomy due to Invasive Lobular Carcinoma not showing up on most imaging). So, I understand your fears. I originally had a lumpectomy and needed a re-excision due to un-clean margins. Then with "dirty" margins again, I went with the BMX. I am glad that I did (since they found so much in the other breast). However, you have IDC, which is usually visible on imaging? I hated having to make all these decisions without a medical degree. You will need to figure out what you are comfortable with -- not always easy. Will keep you in prayer. Others should post -- it was a holiday weekend for many.

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  • SummerAngel
    SummerAngel Member Posts: 1,006
    edited April 2015

    Thanks so much for the additional replies!

    It is definitely unusual for cancer to "hide" inside a fibroadenoma. I read some studies and the rates I found were all between .0125% and .3%. I don't think my doctor had ever seen it before, she was very surprised. I'm definitely not going to borrow trouble by worrying too much about the lymph nodes before they're checked. It will stay in the back of my mind until I know for sure, though.

    Daisylover, when you had the re-excision were you concerned about the damage to your breast? I'm thinking that if the MRI comes back ok they'll want to do a re-excision to try to get clean margins but I'm just not sure it's worth trying when I really think my breast will be pretty badly deformed with any additional tissue removed. It doesn't seem like reconstruction options for breast conserving surgery are as good, but I haven't done much research on that.

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  • Penzance
    Penzance Member Posts: 101
    edited September 2015

    If I understand correctly, a fibro is an enlarged lobule, so it would make sense that some LCIS might disguise as fibros. Apparently that's what happened to me, and they also found carcinoma in the surrounding area. The radiologist was very surprised too, he said the incidence was 0.01% and if I hadn't had an existing diagnosis, he wouldn't even have recommended a biopsy.

    Found the following article on PubMed: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/6329129

    Good luck to you all.

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  • MelissaDallas
    MelissaDallas Member Posts: 7,268
    edited September 2015

    I understand fibroadenoma to just be fibrotic glandular breast tissue. Not a lobule.

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