Freaking out from 3d Mammogram Nodule+Microcalcifications

First, good for you for pushing to get a baseline. Especially now that you have a 1st degree relative that has been diagnosed. My sister also has/had BC before me at age 50. I didn't get my 1st mammogram until I was 56 and I had a lump, got the 3D diagnostic one and failed.

I know it's hard but try not to panic just yet. Just from what you wrote odds are good it maybe nothing. If it is something, it will suck, but seems it may be small, early stage, and you will have good - if not a very good prognosis. I know, again, this isn't helping you much now, Good luck on next tests. Ask them for a copy of your results. They should be able to give them to you right then and there.

Just for clarification IDC=Invasive ductal carcinoma. It's not in situ

DCIS = Ductal carcinoma in situ, which is cancer that has not escaped outside of the ducts. It is a Stage 0 cancer.

How is your sister doing? I would also ask that your sister, or you get genetic testing done. It's a blood test to check for certain gene mutations.

Only other advice is to keep busy while you're waiting. Go do something fun! Best wishes to you, and your sister.

Hi. That's OK. All of us here get the worry and can't relax. Do let us know how you make out.

Your sister sounds a lot like me, big lump stage 2. I am also doing fine. I was also found to have other benign conditions in both breasts too. Hoping you get good answers soon. I tested negative for any mutations. My sisters cancer is ILC-invasive lobular.

We're here to help if you have any questions, or just need a place to worry while you're waiting.

great news!

I'm curious, is this doctor who claims you shouldn't get a mammogram until age 50 from the US? Because I had never heard of that here. 40 seems standard for regular mammograms with one baseline in your 30's.

The industry and docs keep changing their minds on the parameters, and likely will again. I got my first mammo at age 30. No family history, and of course no genetics then, but dense breasts. Glad someone was watching.

Edited to add - I had a call back EVERY YEAR for 40 years until they actually found DCIS. I had lots of time to learn not to panic.

I actually started at 43 (almost 44) after the baseline I did at 37, but was supposed to start at 40 and kept putting it off. Also 45 now (almost 46). So far, they keep finding things to biopsy that turn out to be benign, so I guess that 43 was an okay age for me to start in retrospect. I've had 2 screenings. The first one at 43 found suspicious calcifications on a mammogram that needed to be biopsied. The 2nd at 45 found a nodule on an ultrasound that didn't show up on the mammogram at all which needed to be biopsied. Also dense breasts. So I suspect that it is difficult for them to see everything on me too. I found this website while freaking out about the 2nd biopsy which turned into an excisional biopsy when the needle core biopsy resulted in discordant findings, but didn't get around to posting until I got results.

interesting. They never watched anything on me for 6 months. They just ordered the biopsy immediately. This last time it was for a suspicious nodule. With the needle bore biopsy, the radiologist who was doing the biopsy seemed pretty sure it was benign while he was doing it. He said it was moving around a lot which was a good sign. The technician who was in the room helping thought that the only reason they ordered the biopsy was because of my family history (my mother had breast cancer that was diagnosed at 48 and I'm 45). So I was shocked when 8 days later I saw on the patient portal, that the results were "benign fibrofatty breast", but this was considered discordant and the radiologist suggested a full surgical excisional biopsy to remove it and test it in his write-up. I was wondering, if they seemed so sure it was benign and the results showed it was benign, why would he recommend I now go through a full on surgery to remove it??? At this place it is impossible to get these radiologists on the phone. I really wanted an explanation, but couldn't get the guy on the phone. By this point I didn't know if I had cancer for almost a month and managed to get an appointment with a surgeon pretty fast and scheduled it to be removed 6 days after that appointment. The surgeon too thought it was a low chance of cancer, but thought I should have it removed to make sure. At this point I really just wanted answers, but now in hind site, I wonder if I did the right thing. I might have a scar, and it is costing me a fortune since insurance didn't entirely cover it, and I removed something that was benign and not bothering me at all. But had it been cancer, I suppose then it would grow if I was just doing the watch and see method and my mother having cancer so close to my age scared me into getting this done immediately. I don't want to constantly be getting things removed unnecessarily though.

Good Morning - I am 58 yrs. and had my annual mammogram 1-2020. I received a call back for a spot check and ultrasound.

3 x 2 mm circumscribed hypoechoic -lesion containing no internal color flow. The lesion is quite small to characterize however suspect reflects a very tiny cyst or possibly an intramammary lymph node. BI-RADS CATEGORY 3-probable benign finding'. follow up in six months.

I know this isn't the worst news but I feel like six months is way to long. and reading on google my conclusion or impression on my ultrasound is not very reassuring. Has anyone had a similar situation? I am thinking about getting a second opinion I am seeing my GP next week.

This waiting is so hard!! Thanks in advance.

Thank you for your feedback!! It's weird I had fallen about eight weeks prior to my annual mammogram. I was walking my dog and she lunged toward another dog which caused me to fall. I noticed a bruise on my breast in question. The bruise went away and I completely forgot to mention this to the radiologist, I am not sure if this injury would reflect new findings on my mammogram and ultrasound. I will make an appointment with a breast specialist. Thanks again for reading my email, truly appreciate.

Maple-----Yes! An injury to your breast will show up on imaging. It could be tissue that is damaged or dead (no blood flow)-lesion containing no internal color flow. I would try not to worry too much. In my experience (no medical back round whatsoever!) these tests aren't full proof, but were pretty damn accurate in my case. Last year I had a birads 3-probably benign and I was like, what does "probably" mean?? I felt like is it, or isn't it??? That night I read a whole study on how they set up the Birads scoring system and that made me feel a little better and I did the short interval follow up. Mine was an MRI. I went in December and was called back with now a Birads 4 as my spot had an +0.1mm different measurement than before. It could have been the way I was in the machine, I could have been breathing deeper when they took that image, and yes it was a different radiologist reading the report than my prior test. I did not argue, went in and had it biopsied and it came back as fat necrosis. It is caused by surgery, radiation, and injury. I had all 3. I too had a bruise on my breast a few months before the Birads 3 MRI and had forgotten about it, and sure enough it did show up on imaging.

I don't know if that helps you much, but it is likely a B9 finding. Even getting the higher Birads 4 score the % of it being cancer was still low enough that I actually made it through the process not really worried. I was nervous for a minute though. Best wishes to you.

Anxious, very happy to hear your results ! yay

If surgery itself causes suspicious findings on a mammogram, that makes me concerned that this excisional biopsy will result in my having suspicious findings next time due to scar tissue.

Going through a biopsy every time I have a screening is draining.

I go back in 6 months too. Maybe we need a 6 month come back thread

https://community.breastcancer.org/forum/47/topics/769782?page=45#post_5456558