Roller coaster ride

Jannyjoslater · May 2018

This month has been a roller coaster ride.

On May 8th, I had my first ever mammogram. I opted for the 3d, and it seemed like it went well. The next day I got a call from the radiologist who wanted to know if I had ever had breast surgery or a previous biopsy and wanted to clarify. Once I told him I had not, he told me I needed to come in for an ultrasound and a biopsy. Apparently, I have dense breast tissue and he saw archectutural distortions in my right breast. He made it seem like no big deal. On May 14th, I got a call to schedule the ultrasound and biopsy for this past Wednesday, May 23rd.

I've been going back and forth between trying no to think about it, trying to be positive, and preparing for the worst. My grandmother successfully battled breast cancer twice, opting for a mastectomy the second time. Having lost my great grandfather, great aunt, and my grandfather to other forms of cancer, it terrifies me to the point of panic attacks.

When I arrived for the ultrasound, I was taken aback a bit by the Radiologist because she kept using the words serious and concerning. She then did a core biopsy and said she would call me Friday with the results. When I hadn't heard from her by 4:30 Friday, I called because I wasn't waiting until after the holiday weekend to get my results. The Nurse Navigator told me it was b9 and it was noted as due to fibercystic breast changes, but she'd have the Dr call me that evening anyway. I almost wish I'd waited. The Dr called me 3 hrs later to tell me she was surprised with the results and highly recommends I have a consult with a breast surgeon to have a excisional biopsy to remove the area. She said what she saw doesn't line up with the results. So now I'm waiting for the Nurse Navigator to call me Tuesday to schedule a consult with the surgeon. I'm going nuts again. I've spent the last several weeks reading stories here and on other sites. I guess I just needed to share with those who might understand.

Moderators · May 2018

we do all understand here! That is really frustrating and nerve-wracking. One day at a time, as best as you can.

We're here for you, and please keep us posted.

Jannyjoslater · May 2018

Thanks. I will. I don't want to worry my family, so I think I'm internalizing quite a bit. I felt a bit better after sharing here, but still freaking out.

mustlovepoodles · May 2018

Radiologists who read breast films are pretty good at determining which masses will be malignant, based on their features and characteristics. When the films and the biopsies don't "line up" with what he thought he would find, he should always get more information. In this case, he wants to have the full lump tested to make sure there isn't something hiding in there. He just wants to make sure that your benign mass is truly benign. This doesn't happen often and I'm glad your radiologist is being proactive for you.

djmammo · May 2018

Jannyjoslater

Here is an article explaining the concept of "discordant path results" that MLP refers to above.

It describes all the possible combinations of concordant and discordant benign and malignant cases. It is not an uncommon occurance.

I may make this article a separate post to be pinned as its well written and has mammo and US images.

click here

Jannyjoslater · May 2018

Thank you both!

Ashtog · May 2018

Jannyjoslater I don’t have any advice, but just wanted to give hugs and support. I’m glad your radiologist is following through with you. Please keep us posted

Jannyjoslater · May 2018

Thank you Ashtog.

Recap · May 2018

Thanks for that link-it was written well. 'For a sonography-guided 14-gauge core needle biopsy, discordant lesions had cancer rates of up to 50%.'

Disturbing to read, given my 4B path results were discordant-benign. Since I attribute my breast cell death, microcalcifications, and lump to my Vicks Vapor Rub incident, and I don't believe enough time has elapsed (apparently most breast cancers grow slowly) to feel out of the woods yet, I am wondering what the odds are that more microcalcifications will show on the next go-round.

Does untreated/unremoved 'whatever' continue to produce microcalcifications over time, or is the cell death releasing the calcium only an early stage? Because it seems those microcalcification patterns are quite reliable as far as cell death goes. I have the impression that if my next diagnostic mammo does not show microcalcifications, I will not be indicated for ultrasound, since I apparently am the only one who can still feel that which goes bump in the night.

I have viewed many images on the internet by this point, and I have yet to see an image of a lump that resembles mine. I was wondering if there is a 'facial recognition program' for ultrasound images?

Is there a databank of images in the U.S./World statistically linked to dx where a computer program rather than a human can give a point by point imaging comparison analysis that could also be used to settle cordant and discordant radiology and (ditto for path images) pathology reports?

MelissaDallas · May 2018

Recap, almost all of us develop benign microcalifications in our breasts as we age. It is only when they forn in specific patterns (grouped, linear) that they may be a sign there is something going on

Jannyjoslater · May 2018

Update- The Nurse Navigator called. I have a consultation scheduled Friday morning with a Breast Surgeon. She also sent me copies of my imaging reports.

Ultrasound, vac assisted core needle biopsy:

 Real-time ultrasound of the right breast was performed on the area of 
 interest to evaluate the architectural distortion in the right lateral 
 breast seen on recent screening mammography. 

 Ultrasound was performed of the RIGHT lateral breast, targeted to the 
 area of concern on the recent screening mammogram, approximately 9:00 
 position. The entire radian was scanned. The right axilla was also 
 evaluated. 

 There is a 1.2 cm x 1.2 cm x 1.4 cm irregular hypoechoic mass in the 
 right breast at 9 o'clock middle depth 7 cm from the nipple with 
 shadowing. This mass is highly suspicious for malignancy. No 
 additional lesion is seen in the lateral right breast on ultrasound. 


 Right axilla: no enlarged or morphologically abnormal lymph nodes are 
 seen in the right axilla. 

 IMPRESSION: HIGHLY SUGGESTIVE OF MALIGNANCY - APPROPRIATE ACTION 
 SHOULD BE TAKEN - FOLLOW-UP RECOMMENDEDIMPRESSION: HIGHLY SUGGESTIVE 
 OF MALIGNANCY - APPROPRIATE ACTION SHOULD BE TAKEN - FOLLOW-UP 
 RECOMMENDED 
 Ultrasound BI-RADS: 5 Highly suggestive of malignancy

PATHOLOGY: BENIGN: fibrosis, duct ectasia, focal dense fibrosis, 
 adenosis and apocrine metaplasia. This is considered a discordant 
 result gi5ven the level of concern for the mammographic and ultrasound 
 findings. I would recommend surgical referral for surgical excision 
 of this area for further sampling.

Something in the nurse's tone gave me he impression that this Radiologist doesn't miss much and that it was more likely it really is something to be concerned about.

Back to waiting for answers. I just don't know what to think or feel right now.

Recap · May 2018

Thanks, MelissaDallas-my biopsy was because of the patterns my calcs formed. What I cannot seem to find is any mention by anyone of new patterns of calcs, forming again, in the same location, after a benign biopsy that removed the original calc clusters. In other words, what percent of 6mos recalls go on to need repeat biopsy because of new calc clusters/lines on their repeat mammograms.

btw I read of someone the other day who had microcalcifications in a completely different part of their body, found by ultrasound, and went on to be biopsied, so this cell death/release of calcium from the dying cell/calcification goes on in other parts of the body, for a variety of reasons.

Jannyjoslater · June 2018

I met with the surgeon today. I'm scheduled to have the lump removed 6/21. Moving over to the Waiting for Test Results thread.

Tomuchtime · June 2018

I was wondering the same thing

Roller coaster ride

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