Birad 4b and worried

Ok- I went back to my initial reports, and obviously you can tell my outcome. I've been watched for years- going between Mammo/Ultrasound and MRI's- ideally every 6 mos, but this year the routine MRI was delayed a few months. So this was initially caught on an MRI, with a follow up Mammo and Ultrasound. Mammo report showed BIRAD was a 5 (high suspicion of malignancy)- MRI showed: multiple similar lobulated masses. Biopsy was done immediately after the ultrasound. I had a bad feeling just by what the radiologist and technician weren't saying. I know this doesn't help- and I don't want to speculate- I did exactly what you all are doing while waiting for my results. I just hope things work out more positively for the both of you!

It may not have been visible 6 months ago - but it was almost certainly there. Most tumors have been growing for a number of years before they are detected. Doctors estimated mine had been there at least 5 years. In most cases, even a 6 month delay doesn't alter the outcome.

If it is any consolation, lots and lots of women who come through here on the "not diagnosed" threads with spiculated masses, posterior shadowing, increased vascularity, etc. still have their biopsies come back as benign fibroadenomas. There is a "typical" appearance on imaging of fibroadenomas, but in reality, lots of them aren't typical in appearance.I hope your biopsy is benign as well.

According to Wikipedia (parenthetical observations mine):

BI-RADS Assessment Categories are:^[5]

• 0: Incomplete (anomaly noted, further diagnostic imaging required)
• 1: Negative (no anomaly)
• 2: Benign (anomaly, but obviously benign—followup on usual screening timetable)
• 3: Probably benign (anomaly, probably benign—shorter-interval followup advised)
• 4: Suspicious (anomaly possibly malignant—need biopsy to rule out)
• 5: Highly suggestive of malignancy (anomaly very probably malignant—need biopsy to confirm)
• 6: Known biopsy – proven malignancy (proceed to treatment)

Also from Wikipedia:

Some experts believe that the single BI-RADS 4 classification does not adequately communicate the risk of cancer to doctors and recommend a subclassification scheme:^[7]

• 4A: low suspicion for malignancy
• 4B: intermediate suspicion of malignancy
• 4C: moderate concern, but not classic for malignancy

80% of all BIRADS 4 biopsies turn out benign. That's an average over all 3 subclassifications, so 4B is anywhere from 50-89% likely benign. I was in that unlucky 50%—you might think the percentage is even higher given all the posts here—but bear in mind the overwhelming majority of BCO posters don’t even find this site until we’ve been diagnosed, so those whose biopsies came back benign don’t usually post here.

whatever happened luvbabyp

Jenni - most women complete treatment and go on with their lives. They do not continue to post on BCO and usually don't want to think about breast cancer. Since she dropped out, she probably does not want to discuss it.

I haven't chosen to get email alerts for private messages - so I would never know if I didn't log on.

I’m in the same boat, I have a biopsy scheduled for next week. 2 suspicious masses that did not show up on my mammo 9 months ago. I felt a lump and had it looked at by my doc. Diagnostic mammo and u/s found additional mass. I’m worried sick. I work in the medical field and majority of the details of each mass point at malignancy. Trying not to freak out but man it’s hard! I hope everything turns out ok for you