Dense tissue with negative mammo

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MCJRH
MCJRH Member Posts: 3
edited February 2018 in Not Diagnosed But Worried

Hi ladies, to start I'm a 41 year old with no direct family history (as in mother or sister) my moms two sisters both had breast cancer, along with a lot of other types of cancers as well. My grandmother passed away when my mother was 6 weeks old due to cancer. My mother had kidney and bladder cancer...you get the picture I'm sure. I'm probably worring about nothing here but my story is this.

In Oct. I had my first mammo, the lady on the bus told me to not be surprised if I received a call back letter since it was my first one. Of course she was right I got the letter to come in for a diagnostic. The report also stated extreme dense tissue. At this point I wasn't worried at all, I did do the first BSE that night and thought I felt something ( then i laughed to myself thinking okay don't be silly) Had my husband feel and he stopped in same area I did. I still let it go but next day sch a appt with my dr for my yearly exam. During the breast exam she stopped in same area again and told nurse to chart 3 oclock postion and wither 3 or 4cm(im not sure at that point i zoned out) Went yesterday for the diagnostic mammo and US was told the mammo was negative and they didn't do the US. Called my doctor when i left since I thought they would for sure do the us since dense tissue and a palpable lump of course shes out of town for the holidays. To add to this I have slight swelling above right breast that runs along the collorbone with a hard bean sized knot that moves when I touch it. The pain in that area has been there for a long time and in my underarm and shoulder blade I just never told anyone because I didn't feel it was important. Now Im wondering if Ive made a mistake leaving these things unsaid to drs. I have a appointment coming up in Jan with a surgeon

I'm sorry to rattle on but my question is has anyone had these symptoms? How did it turn out for you and any advice on what I should do or ask.

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  • marie5890
    marie5890 Member Posts: 3,594
    edited December 2017

    MC, hello and welcome.

    Since you have extremely dense breast tissue, see if you can get an MRI. Mammo's don't do all that well with dense tissue.

    I know in my state of CT, if a woman has dense breast tissue, insurance by law cannot refuse to have one done.

    There are other kinds of lumps that are B9 that are common. So don't panic, but ask for an MRI.

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  • MCJRH
    MCJRH Member Posts: 3
    edited December 2017

    Thank you I will definately ask about one. Should the comments on extremely dense tissue be in both mammogram reports?

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  • marie5890
    marie5890 Member Posts: 3,594
    edited December 2017

    Should they? As a layperson I hope that they would. I do think that radiologists are supposed to indicate the degree of density on their reports.

    Here are some links that talk about breast density.

    https://radiopaedia.org/articles/breast-density

    http://breast-cancer.ca/densitbi-rads/


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  • MCJRH
    MCJRH Member Posts: 3
    edited February 2018

    My first report read extremely dense breast tissue, right lower asymmetry, the second report says normal underlying fibrogladular tissue and no mass or distortion, not anything on second report about dense tissue. My doctor did find a lump, the gs I was referred to said he didn't feel a thing. I assumed this was good news. I haven't thought much about it until the last week or so I have noticed a spot under my nipple on same breast thats about a inch or so side that dents inward and under the dent it kind of pokes back out. Not good with describing things I am sorry in advance. Just wondering if anyone has had this experience before.

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