BI-RADS 3 Indeterminate, further testing??

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KCBreeze
KCBreeze Member Posts: 10
edited April 2017 in Not Diagnosed With a Recurrence or Metastases but Concerned

Hi all. I had my first post-op, post TX mammo a couple weeks ago. It was ordered by my RO after my first post-op CBE. She said she did not feel anything alarming but it had been too long since my last one (15 months) and my MO did not have one scheduled for another 3 months. Got called back right after the mammo for an US. The tech explained how they hold off on sending the letter and that I will probably hear from the Dr first. Almost a week passed so I called the Drs office for the results. They didn't call me back until the next day and I ended up getting the letter first. It said they found an area "we believe is benign", follow up in 6 months, dense breasts, harder to see cancer etc. But after speaking to the RO nurse I found out it was BI-Rads 3, indeterminate (I had to ask for all of this). I've never had an abnormal mammo without a phone call and I am kind of surprised given my BC history. I asked them to send it to my BS who I have not seen since my lumpectomy and port a year ago. I was going to wait for the 6 months, but decided to call my BS to see what they thought. I don't think the report went past his nurse; she kept asking if I would like to go over it with him so I agreed and my appt is Tues. I have seen in other posts where MRI's might be the next step. I have never had one, should I request it or would it be offered if I need it? What is the normal time frame for getting a mammo and CBE after surgery and TX? I just finished rads about 5 months ago so I am thinking this could be scar tissue (which I think the report mentioned was a possibility). I am a little nervous though because my original abnormal mammo report said biopsy or wait 6 months (they weren't sure what that one was) and my tumor was never felt by either me or any of my Drs.. Any advice would be appreciated. (Sorry this was long, my first post, haha.)

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  • KCBreeze
    KCBreeze Member Posts: 10
    edited April 2017

    I forgot to mention the US tech said that what the radiologist was seeing was in the same area, (general area I guess), as my surgery.

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  • Moderators
    Moderators Member Posts: 25,912
    edited April 2017

    KCBreeze, sorry you're here and worried, but wanted to say welcome! We're sure you'll find this Community an incredibly supportive and helpful space.

    We hope you get responses and advice from other members soon. In the meantime, if there's anything you need help with or have any comment for us, feel free to contact us.

    Please, let us know what you learn in your appointment on Tuesday!

    Best,

    The Mods

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  • KCBreeze
    KCBreeze Member Posts: 10
    edited April 2017

    Thank you so much for the warm welcome! I have been a lurker for a while now and I finally got the courage to post. This site is a great source of information and I hope that by relaying my situation, that I might be of some help to someone else.

    I'll be sure to pass along how my appointment went, thank you!

    Warmest regards,
    Karen

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  • joyandpiece
    joyandpiece Member Posts: 72
    edited April 2017

    Hi KCBreeze. I'm glad you scheduled an appt to discuss your results. If you see my signature - it says "you are your own best advocate". If anything is a concern for you, bring it up. Ask about the MRI. With your history, it would be understandable why you wouldn't want to wait six months to explore further.

    I am scheduled for my first mammo next week. It is 6 months since surgery and and 4 months post rads. That is what my RO and MO suggested. It was already scheduled when I found a lumpy area my MO didn't like. Hope it's nothing. Hope yours is nothing, too and you are satisfied with the discussion at your appt.

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  • KBeee
    KBeee Member Posts: 5,109
    edited April 2017

    I have also had to advocate for myself when my docs felt a suspicious (to me ) area was benign... They were 99% sure. They were also 100% wrong. I think meeting with BD to discuss the next step would be very appropriate. Keep us posted

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  • KCBreeze
    KCBreeze Member Posts: 10
    edited April 2017


    Hi joyandpiece, Thank you, I think I will bring it up now. I don't know exactly what was on the report, it may be something related to surgery. But I would think they could tell that but I may be wrong. I appreciate the info about the time frame. Especially if both of your Dr's thought it was appropriate. Part of the reason I asked was in thinking that maybe I got mine too soon and the effects of rads are what they are seeing. I have no idea then why my MO was wanting to wait until June, that's nearly 8 months post rads. I wish you well on your mammo next week. Hoping the lump turns out to be nothing also..please keep me posted.



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  • KCBreeze
    KCBreeze Member Posts: 10
    edited April 2017

    And thank you KBeee for your input. I was afraid I was overreacting. I thought at first, if it was anything concerning the RO would have sent me to my BS. But like I said, I never even received a phone call about the abnormality. And when I I finally did get a call back, after my first question the nurse ( who is actually one of my favorites), asked when I saw my MO again. I got the impression she wanted me to wait and discuss it with him... and they were the ones who ordered it. I am very glad you went with your instincts KBeee! I'm going to follow your lead; glad I see him Tues. If for nothing else than a little peace of mind. Very nice meeting another Karen, btw!

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  • KCBreeze
    KCBreeze Member Posts: 10
    edited April 2017

    My surgeon got stuck in surgery today and I was rescheduled to see him Thursday afternoon. So I will have to sweat it out a for little bit longer I guess, haha.

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  • KCBreeze
    KCBreeze Member Posts: 10
    edited April 2017

    Well, I had a good visit today with my BS. He told me the area in question is a nodule that has been present in all my past mammograms (3 years now I think). He told me not to worry and that he wants me to get back on a yearly mammogram schedule after the 6 month follow up mammo, US and visit. I assumed I would be getting bi-annual mammos regardless, but I guess not. He didn't think it needed biopsied and he said MRI's are over used (or something to that effect), but if he thought it was warranted next time he would. He kind of indicated that the bigger worry is it coming back somewhere else. I was aware of this of course, but hearing it out loud sure is a reality check!

    I also asked if he thought I should have my left ovary removed since my cancer was hormone positive. He said chemo probably killed that ovary out and he didn't want me to have to have another surgery. I really have no way of knowing if it did since I had a total hysterectomy and right ovary removed in Jan of 2014. I think my MO said about 6 months out of chemo we could do a hormone test though. (A little background: I'd had an ovarian cancer scare after having severe abdominal pain and right sided bloating for a while. My right ovary had a mass with it's own blood supply. I had to wait 2 weeks to find out the results of my CA-125 test which was fine, but my gyno recommended a total hysterectomy for the pain and thickening of the uterus-biopsy came back benign, and polyps.Turned out the mass was an endometrioma. I had severe endometriosis; my ovary was attached to my uterus and my uterus was adhered to my bowels which was covered in endo on the right side. It was also on my rectum. A funny side note- my gyno wanted me to keep my left ovary for breast and heart health. The irony being that 2 years later I was DX with BC and 2nd degree Mobitz II heart block... go figure.) Anyway, he said if I'd tested positive for the BRAC gene, then he would recommend removing the ovary. I did have a genetic test at my MO's urging a few months ago. Nothing came up in the BC tests, BUT I did have an unknown variant in the colon cancer gene. My Dad, his Mom, and one of his brothers all died from colon cancer. Btw, my MO has referred me to a gastroenterologist on the 13th for an issue I had all through chemo that has just started up again, so I plan on mentioning the genetic result.

    Sorry if I was rambling on a bit. I know some of that may have been more appropriate on another post. But I hope that my personal experience might be of some help to someone else out there. I know when I was scared and looking for answers, this site was a great source of information and guidance.

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  • joyandpiece
    joyandpiece Member Posts: 72
    edited April 2017

    Thanks for the update, KC Breeze. It sounds like the doctor visit was beneficial!

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  • KCBreeze
    KCBreeze Member Posts: 10
    edited April 2017

    Thank you joyandpiece, I do feel much better after discussing it with him. I did have scar tissue btw, but he specifically called the abnormality they are seeing a nodule. So now I am wondering why the nodule was not removed during my surgery since he was saying it was present at the time according to past mammos. Maybe they don't routinely do that, but it is in the same general area so I don't know why not. Just have to trust his judgement I guess.

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