Misdiagnosed / delayed but turned out ok?

Hi Jojo -- could you share what's going on so others can weigh in with their experiences? What have you been misdiagnosed with?

Hope we can all help you feel better!

--The Mods

There are quite a few women on this board with similar stories, if you read around the board a lot you'll see them. Generally, cancer takes a while to grow, and some tumors are more likely to spread than others. For example, my left side tumor was 2.2cm when I was diagnosed and because it was slow-growing I likely had cancer in my left breast for 10 years or more before it was removed.

Jojo- I went to my PCP 3 or 4 years prior to my diagnosis because I had 2 enlarged lymph nodes in my armpit. They weren't huge but you could see them when I raised my arm. I was sent to a BS & she sent me to get an ultrasound. The radiologist came to talk to me afterwards. He said I had 2 isolated & slightly enlarged nodes. But since my mamogram 1 month prior didn't show anything, a biopsy wasn't necessary. I was ultimately diagnosed & those 2 nodes turned out to be positive. This was my left breast. This cancer was only found after I was diagnosed with BC in my right breast. I was sent for a MRI which picked up my more advanced tumor.

My anger & frustration has lessened over time.

Hi Jojo, I think I've seen you on here before. So my story might sound familiar. I have had breast problems for about 10 years, starting with microcalcifications that turned out benign after a stereotactic biopsy. I then developed multiple cysts starting around 2008 or 2009, which showed benign on an MRI. After that, I was just monitored with mammograms (stupid me didn't ask for ultrasound). In May of last year I had my cyst aspirated, again benign. But it revealed a lump behind it that looked suspicious. In September I insisted on a biopsy because of my brother's breast cancer, and it came back positive for IDC. So I don't know how long it's been there hidden, but my guess is that it started between 2009 or 2010. I only had one 4mm lymph node positive, because the tumor was slow growing. Oncotype came back low risk so I opted for hormone therapy and no chemo. So I hope that and the other women's stories give you some comfort! You're going to do fine!

Very similar story here too. Can't even bear to repeat it

I think I've replied on another of your topics. Similar story for me, diagnosed with ILC in 2003 at age 40, then regular annual mammograms and US for nearly 12 years and then I found a lump, turned out to be 4cm. I actually had clinical symptoms (inverted nipple and itching on breast) which no doctor took seriously. It was only after the fact that I found out that ILC usually needs an MRI to diagnose it. No doctors ever suggested that I have one, even though I had already had ILC before. I have to make a conscious decision to not be bitter and resentful about all this.

LeighKu

The dense breast thing I now understand the importance of. I did have biopsies and ultrasounds and mammo, all came back negative. I was later told that it is possible to 'miss' the cancer area, or even go 'through it' to reach a non cancerous area, the correct depth being the determinant in 'pulling up' the cancer cells.

I did have a very pronounced lymph node at this time and i wish I had asked for an MRI. I was told that I most likely had an infection and that was the cause.

Some time later stage 3.

I hope you are doing well too, I always get some comfort when people understand. Thank you,

Hi Luvmybengal,

Welcome to the BCO community.

Sorry that your circumstances of a misdiagnosis has brought you to us but we're really glad that you found us and decided to join.

Just letting you know that you may not receive any responses to your post here as this thread has been inactive since February of last year.

Wishing you a peaceful and happy 2017,

The moderators.

I wonder if your sample showed any atypical hyperplasia, which is sometimes a hard call between it and DCIS. My onc did say IDC was easy to identify because of the staining the pathologists do. I'm sorry this happened to you.

I am sorry you had to go through all this.

Whether any particular case may be actionable or not in a court of law on its facts and/or is worth pursuing would be a question for an expert medical malpractice attorney, as well as related questions of theory of the case, local time limits for filing suit, proper venue, defendants (named or added by third parties), matters of proof, potential damages, chances of success, etcetera. The applicable time limit for filing suit varies from state to state and by the nature of the case, and you should probably seek an initial consultation with an attorney to find out what it is in your case and how much time you have to decide.

BarredOwl