Questions about breast MRI and chest x-ray

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jenn32214
jenn32214 Member Posts: 89
edited May 2016 in Diagnosed and Waiting for Test Results

Mammos showed microcalcs in each breast., followed by biopsies. Right was benign, left was cancer. Scheduled for breast MRI this Thursday. BS keeps telling me its very early, we're lucky we caught it at the microcalc stage, etc. He also sent me for genetic testing, got a pretty full panel ,lucky for me all the genes tested were negative for mutations,

But I am still an anxiety ridden mess. Party because this is the latest of crisis I've had to endure the past several years. And also, because of the family history of cancer, known genetic mutations or not. Maternal grandmother had breast cancer and MX at 59, but lived to be 96. Maternal uncle died of pancreatic cancer in his 30's.

And then there is my mother. Diagnosed with thyroid cancer in the summer 2011. Everybody told her it was treatable, until a head and neck MRI should multiple brain mets. Then she was diagnosed with lung cancer and died a few months later. It was a shock for all of us, especially how quickly she went from being active and healthy, hadn't smoked in 40 years, to dying of multiple cancers. (If I should be putting this family cancer thing somewhere else on the forum, please let me know).

I think now I am being triggered because of the way things happened with my mom, even when I get good news.

(I had already been diagnosed with PTSD before this breast cancer, and have been on a couple anti-anxiety meds)

So my questions are: 1) does a breast MRI give any info about lymph nodes? My BS is planning on doing "breast conserving surgery" with sentinel node biopsy, but I'm wondering about the breast MRI here?

2) should I ask BS to order a chest x-ray? He ordered me a presurgey EKG, and blood tests (CBC,CMP), but it seemed like he didn't think I needed a chest x-ray. Should this be standard? Or again will a breast MRI show if the cancer has spread to the chest or lungs?

I have been having shortness of breath and a dry cough the past few weeks (I have never smoked). My therapist, psychiatrist and I were chalking it up to anxiety (since these symptoms started after the biopsy came back positive). But after doing some research and especially reading this forum I'm not so willing to do that. Not to mention mom probably did have primary lung cancer.

Should I push for a chest x-ray, and if so do it now, or wait until after results of breast MRI come back?

Thanks everyone!

Jen


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  • barbe1958
    barbe1958 Member Posts: 19,757
    edited April 2016

    Jen, the MRI is the gold standard, so if anything was in your lungs it will get caught if it's big enough. An x-ray wouldn't catch anything that is still tiny. As for hereditary, less than 12% of breast cancers are due to family history so that's not even in the picture, really.

    While you were mentioning your Mom and thyroid cancer, I knew there had to be another primary as thyroid cancer can only grow in the thyroid and not spread. Sorry to hear it was her lungs. I'm very surprised that you got the gene results so fast!!!!

    Microcalcs aren't usually IDC, are you sure they didn't say DCIS?

    Of course you are nervous and anxious, that's perfectly normal and gives you the momentum to get something done about any diagnosis you get. You are now in "fight" mode and that is good. Keep it up.

    As for your shortness of breath, it's Spring....do you have any allergies?

    You are not alone, please repost here when you get news so we are updated. Good luck, sweetie!

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  • jenn32214
    jenn32214 Member Posts: 89
    edited April 2016

    "Microcalcs aren't usually IDC, are you sure they didn't say DCIS?"

    Actually that's one of the things that's bothered me about this from the start. When I had the diagnostic mammo, the radiologist thought it would be DCIS at worst, and yet when the biopsy pathology report came back it specifically said Invasive ductal carcinoma.

    And the BS and I went over the pathology report together in his office after the results came back. So step one in things turning out worse than they thought. And no I never had allergies before, these breathing symptoms are brand new for me

    BS is the one who pulled strings to get me into the genetic counselor, and get those results back quickly. He did this because of that family history of cancer I ticked off during my first consult with him.

    Good to know breast MRI is the gold standard. That may be why BS didn't bother with chest x-ray, since he already had that lined up.

    But the main reason he wanted the breast MRI is because there is a 2nd calc cluster in the left breast. Supposedly it was on previous mammos and is listed as "stable" on the current mammos. But since the first one came back cancer, they want to investigate this one further before surgery. And I didn't hear anything about this 2nd one until after the first biopsies and that pathology report came back.

    I think the radiologist who did the biopsies reread the mammos, and when she looked at the 2nd calc cluster told BS we should investigate it further "just to be safe".

    So step two in things being worse, or at least potentially worse, that I/we thought. I do appreciate the support and will keep you updated.

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  • ChiSandy
    ChiSandy Member Posts: 12,133
    edited April 2016

    Chest X-rays are no longer standard pre-op procedure, and Barbe is right that if you have any lung lesions they’d show up in the breast MRI. Shortness of breath & dry cough are often symptoms of stress, panic attacks or PTSD. You might want to check your local pollen & mold counts, though--allergies can develop at any time because exposure to allergens is cumulative.

    Your team is correct to do an MRI, because if it appears that there is another suspicious area in the IDC breast, there might not be enough healthy breast tissue to conserve. My friend was originally scheduled for lumpectomy & radiation for DCIS, but another larger area showed up via MRI in another part of the breast--so she’s opting instead for bilateral mastectomy.

    But since your tumor is grade 1 and hormone+/HER2-, that’s a good sign.

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  • jenn32214
    jenn32214 Member Posts: 89
    edited April 2016

    "But since your tumor is grade 1 and hormone+/HER2-, that's a good sign."

    Again, Thanks much for this. Every reason to believe my BS and radiologist are very good, but its really good to hear it from folks who have been there.

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  • ElaineTherese
    ElaineTherese Member Posts: 3,328
    edited April 2016

    Hi!

    A breast MRI can give you information about lymph nodes, but like many scans, MRIs can also pick up false positives from time to time. On my ultrasound, one lymph node looked enlarged. After a PET scan, an MRI, and a fine-needle biopsy, that node was indeed found to be cancerous. But, everyone felt confident in doing the fine-needle biopsy because three scans said it looked big. No, I don't think a chest X-Ray will give you better information; if you're interested in a full-body scan to see whether or not the cancer is localized (in the breast area) or has metastasized, a PET scan would do the trick. But, given your cancer's early stage, it's unlikely that your doctors would recommend a PET scan or your insurance company would want to pay for it.

    Best wishes!

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  • Italychick
    Italychick Member Posts: 2,343
    edited April 2016

    So a breast MRI shows the lungs too? I didn't know that, good information to know

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  • jenn32214
    jenn32214 Member Posts: 89
    edited April 2016

    Well I just heard from BS about results of the MRI I had last week. The 2nd area of concern in my left breast from my mammos is still a concern on the MRI. So now I have to have that biopsied too. And BS told me if that turns out cancerous also, the two are too far apart to do a lumpectomy (as there would not be enough breast tissue left for that) so I would need a mastectomy. which for me would be a complete game changer.

    He did say the right breast looked good on the MRI (that also had a microcalc that was biopsied but that one came back benign) and the lymph nodes looked good. But again, as far as I'm concerned it ain't over til the Fat Lady sings, and I get the pathology report back after surgery. So I'm back in the awful "hurry up and wait" game.

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  • barbe1958
    barbe1958 Member Posts: 19,757
    edited April 2016

    ((((((((( Jenn )))))))))))

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  • dtad
    dtad Member Posts: 2,323
    edited April 2016

    A chest X-ray is usually a standard part of pre op testing. I would ask for both the chest x ray and the breast MRI. Good luck and keep us posted....

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  • jenn32214
    jenn32214 Member Posts: 89
    edited April 2016

    As it turns out I went to my PCP for my breathing issues and he sent me for a chest x-ray. Which came back normal. We're thinking this is Gerd related and he suggested I get Zantac over the counter. (GI issues are a newer problem for me in the last few years with all the stress I've been under even before BC)

    I just scheduled the new biopsy for next Thursday. The woman who runs that called me at work today and its the soonest she could get me in and will call if they get a cancellation earlier. She also said they would fast track getting the pathology results from that. Its been nice having a BS who can pull strings.

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  • barbe1958
    barbe1958 Member Posts: 19,757
    edited April 2016

    jenn, Zantac is pretty good but use it as per the directions or you're not going to get the relief you expect. I had to pay for it as a prescription about 25 years ago and it was over $400!!! Now you can buy it for $15....good stuff, though.

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  • jenn32214
    jenn32214 Member Posts: 89
    edited May 2016

    I got myself a copy of my breast MRI report. It does not mention my lungs at all. Can I assume that means they look ok on the breast MRI, or should that be specifically stated?



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  • crazemaze
    crazemaze Member Posts: 10
    edited May 2016

    My MRI did not mention anything about my lungs either but I had a chest X-ray before surgery and all was clear.

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  • dtad
    dtad Member Posts: 2,323
    edited May 2016

    ChiSandy....My docs at a major NYC university hospital always do chest X rays prep, Just curious why you say different ?

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  • jenn32214
    jenn32214 Member Posts: 89
    edited May 2016

    Think I figured out the source of my breathing problems.

    I visited my dad over Easter weekend and it was right after that this started.

    (He lives 5 hours away in a rural area). I talked to my Aunt who lives in that same town today. Her daughter, son in law and granddaughter have been having the same symptoms since Easter, and we all had Easter dinner together. And other people out there have been having the same. Like I said, my chest X-ray was normal and they didn't say anything about my lungs from the breast MRI.

    But its nice to have a good idea as to why I am still having these breathing symptoms.

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