Differing opinions on pathology and a decision to make

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Juliana1835
Juliana1835 Member Posts: 14
edited February 2016 in High Risk for Breast Cancer

Hi. I have 2 fibroadenomas that I will have removed next week. I am unsure whether to follow through with this surgery. When I had the initial core bxs done in December, the pathology from the hospital I used claims Atypical Ductal Hyperplasia & BIRADS 4D. Two pathologists agreed on this. I decided to go to a different, bigger center for the excisionals. The 3 pathologists at this center looked at my slides and saw nothing abnormal, just fibdroadenomas. So, the surgeon calls and asks what do I want to do. I asked her what she would do. She said take them out, biopsy so more to look at, and have piece of mind. That is what I am doing next week. I am just wondering if anyone else out there has differing opinions such as these. I could wait 6 months. That's my other option. What would you do? BTW I had a fibroademona removed when I was 20 and it was benign so I do have hx. I hate to do unnecessary surgery, but I'd hate to miss something that can be treated at an earlier stage. Just hoping to hear of other experiences. Thanks, ladies!

Comments

  • Hernie
    Hernie Member Posts: 1,016
    edited June 2016

    BIRADS is a mammography term, category 4 means suspicious malignancy, thus the rationale for the biopsy. A finding of ADH on biopsy means an increased risk of malignancy (but none right now).

    I would go for the surgery. Go in, get it done, and be certain. Worrying - forever - is awful. Waiting 6 months gets you no further ahead.

  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Member Posts: 1,376
    edited January 2016

    the BIRADs is the radiologist's rating for the mammo, more relevant is the pathologists' findings from the actual biopsy. Having essentially had opinions from 5 different pathologists, (2 for ADH, 3 for no ADH, just fibroadenomas), you have a difficult choice. Sounds like things would be medicallly OK to just leave it be for now and revisit again with imaging in 6 months, but you may end up with the same dilemma, just 6 months down the road. (fibros usually grow bigger over time, and would still look suspicous, maybe even more so). It may give you more piece of mind to just have them removed now, to make sure there is no ADH or anything else lurking in there along with the fibros. Good luck with your decision.

    Anne

  • Juliana1835
    Juliana1835 Member Posts: 14
    edited January 2016

    I had the 2 biopsies yesterday. All was well untl 11 pm last night. I woke from severe pain and swelling. Back to hospital I went and at 12:30 in O/R had the hematoma drained and stitched me up again. Home again and feeling ok. Swollen and tender still. Results should be in next Wednesday.

  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Member Posts: 1,376
    edited January 2016

    I am glad you went through with the biopsies. Praying for benign results for you!

  • Juliana1835
    Juliana1835 Member Posts: 14
    edited January 2016

    Thank you for your well wishes. Doing a little better today.

  • treerock
    treerock Member Posts: 22
    edited February 2016

    So lets just say you waited 6 months, in the 6 months is it worth the worry the stress- I say not.

    I have had numerous fibroids, and unless you get it out their is a chance something could be hiding something you just don't know, further more in time sometimes we just say " oh it's just the fibro thing" and then we miss something.

    I am BRAC 1 positive and 5 years ago I did a preventive bi-lateral, 3 months ago got a lump near the armpit and even though I thought oh its because of this or that, I will wait a little and see if it goes away-the holidays came, then I thought I will wait til' the new year, well guess what woke up from sleep a couple of Fridays ago and that small little lump more than dbl. in size. Scared me-went right in, core biopsy days later results come back and 2.7cm tumor cancer stage 2 -grade 3 got it out, waiting on a the pathology report. I am disappointed that I got to "oh it can't be anything important I was preventive less then 3% chance, it will be ok" - it may just be fibroids trust me in my past I had quite a few of those yep all benign. But at some point it just might not be. Taking small fibroids out isn't that big of a deal, if they grow which they do-that gets more complicated, something else to consider.

    I've had at least 5-6 fibroids removed, 1 benign tumor, preventive dbl. masc.-due to BRAC 1, lymph nodes that swelled now and then do to what ever...in my past, I wait a couple of months on one what I thought was a irritated lymph-node wake up one morning after checking the thing frequently find that it had more than dbl. in size with in what seemed to me like a few days. Boom Cancer.

    Not trying to scare you- but please make sure. What's your family's breast cancer background, consider everything, take care. 

    After all that, I see you got them taken care of! Well I'm glad your doing good, and if anything it helped me expressing what I am currently going thru.  

  • Ddw79
    Ddw79 Member Posts: 533
    edited February 2016

    Treerock I see how much you are going through and how hard you are trying.

    Hugs❌⭕️ And wishes for better starting now.


    All of my family members had BRCA 1. I don't but now I am high risk anyway. It all sucks

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