Waiting for biopsy results
Hello again! It's been a few months since I've been online - was taking a much-needed mental-health break from Cancerland to run more, celebrate my daughter's wedding, and prepare for the holidays. Had had really good follow-up visits, clean mamms, and was mentally preparing to move on with my life...
...and then I found a new lump, near my previous lx site. I'd had a lump a couple of years ago, ran frantically to the surgeon crying and hysterical, only to discover a complicated cyst. *whew!* Dodged that bullet - and resolved no more freaking out! So when I found this lump I figured I'd take a "wait and see" approach before running back to the surgeon to be chided for overreacting. But this lump was growing and felt really different, so I finally broke down and went to see him last Friday. He brought in another doctor to check it out, and they both recommended an ultrasound. Definitely not a cyst. Got a quick US at the hospital, tech was really great, took her time and let me watch. Whatever it was, was a mess - jagged, large, shadowing, dark, all the fun stuff we don't want to see in our breasts. She went out to check the results, and came back with the radiologist. He did a few passes, they chatted, then he left. Came back a few minutes later, said he was "very concerned". Had gone out to call my BS, who was in surgery so he tracked him down in the surgical suite to discuss. Says he needed a tissue sample "to confirm." Said he would write the report and fax it that weekend so the BS would have it first thing Monday. I outright asked for a Bi-rad rating - "4 or 5"? which I think threw him off his square, but he didn't hesitate to say "4c, but only because I just can't call it a slam dunk without a tissue sample."
First thing Monday morning my MOs office calls - they had the report in their hand (the radiologist actually wrote it and faxxed it late Friday evening). Wanted to schedule a "planning appointment". I said, Plan for what, I don't have a dx yet. "Just to get the scans on the books." Again - I don't have a dx yet, what are we planning? I told them I'd get back with them after the biopsy.
Had vacuum-assisted biopsy yesterday. Afterwards the MO's nurse navigator came to visit. I reiterated again that I don't have a dx so....why the visit? She said their concern level is "way up there".
So. There it is. No results until Monday - another long weekend. Not feeling confident, but also surprisingly not worried. Having been down this road before I kinda know what to expect so there's much less fear of the unknown. I don't really want to go through this again, and of course there's the concern about how far this may have spread...but I'll cross that bridge if I come to it.
Well crap.
Comments
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Nancy, Sorry you are dealing with this again. I have been down the road twice as well, and the second time was more frustrating mentally (because it's hard to have confidence that it will stay away), but going through things physically was easier, because I knew exactly how to prepare, so it was much less disruptive to me in that regard. (((HUGS))) Keep us posted.
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Nancy,
No matter the results, we are all here for you. Please keep us posted -- we're sending our positive thoughts your way and wishing for the best!
--The Mods
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Hang in there. So sorry to hear you'll have a worrisome weekend. Best wishes that it turns out to be a "nothing!"
LisaAlissa
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Thank you for the kind words and thoughts. It's surprising to me how calm I feel right now. It's completely different this time than last - I was a basketcase!! Instead, I'm looking forward to having a nice weekend with my hubby, seeing my grandson, and maybe taking in dinner and a movie.
Thank you for sharing your story, Karen - at least I know I'm not alone, and that helps immensely. My biggest worry is not treatment (I know what to expect!) but rather that this will interfere with my half marathon training. Kinda pissed about that right now. :-)
I'll update when I know more.
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Well crap.
ER-/PR-, Her2 pending. Path report states "rare invasive ductal carcinoma. These core biopsies contain rate infiltrating irregular glands with amphophilic cytoplasm and enlarged hyper chromatic nuclei."
All I understand in that is that it's IDC, possibly TN, and not a recurrence but rather a new primary (different from my first cancer).
I picked this up from my GP this morning because he's open on Saturday (didn't want to wait until Monday). Bless his heart, he says, "if it's rare that must be good." I'm kinda thinking rare isn't always good in Cancerland.
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Nancy-You're my kind of patient/self advocate and I would have done the same thing... picking up the report. I'm so sorry you're having to deal with this again. I had a right side mx in 2011 after being diagnosed w/high grade DCIS. 1% chance of recurrence. In Feb 2015 I found a hard round lump in the same side at the mx incision site. A week later I was scheduled for surgery then a year full of chemo, radiation and infusions. I think I knew the minute I found it. The waiting is unbearable. Sending you my best positive energy and virtual hug for strength! As you know, the ladies on these threads understand and will be there for you
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Keep in mind that when the word "rare" is used in a pathology report it is often not a judgemental word, as in unusual, it can be commentary on how many there is of something. Rare, in this case, may mean "scattered" or "not many" rather than a comment on the unusualness of something. So, what this may mean is that there are some cancer cells along with other things contained in the biopsy sample. I have had pathology done each time I had a skin excision done in relation to non-healing of skin with my recon and had one come back with the word "rare", which referred to a few scattered cells of skin flora bacteria but not enough to make an infection of any kind, it was not any type of reference to the type of bacteria.
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Thanks for the input, K. I wouldn't have thought much about "rare" either until I put that whole phrase into Mayo's search engine and came back with info on metaplastic, which does happen to be rare. However, I'll keep your thoughts in mind until I hear otherwise.
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Dang. So sorry you are having to deal with this again. I'm also wondering if it's worded as "rare" only because 80% of breast cancers are ER+?
I am also a runner, so I understand being bummed about your training getting interrupted as crazy as that sounds.
I will be crossing my fingers that you have a quick recovery and can put this behind you once again.
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Quick update for anyone who comes after:
"Rare" referred to the amount of cancer found in the biopsy. Because this tumor is adjacent to my previous cancer site they believe they grabbed some scar tissue and not enough of the cancer. Which also means I have ER and PR status, but not Her2 yet. So, I'm having an excisional biopsy next Monday to remove more, and determine if the cancer is actually 1.5 cms, or is it a small area of cancer contained within scar tissue. Hopefully in a couple of days I'll have all the information I need to move forward with treatment.
(See - I really shouldn't play Doctor, and neither should Google!)
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Keep us posted. Hopefully it's small cancer, lots of scar tissue.
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