Had Ultrasound yesterday and being sent right away to get biopsy

Options
Hippmark
Hippmark Member Posts: 93
edited October 2021 in Not Diagnosed But Worried

Ten days ago, I had a routine mammogram and the report came as dense breast tissue that I assume looked like a mass but they were unable to tell. Yesterday, I went for additional mammogram images and an ultrasound. The radiologist found the following and suggested I get a biopsy as soon as possible. That was all she would tell me. My Doctors office was already closed, so I could not make an appointment.

I asked the tech to please give me further information and she told me that anything under a 2.0 cm, that it is considered small, but that does not tell my the type or stage. But that the right side of my breast and up to the lymph nodes into my arm pits were clear. But that is the only information I received.

I broke out in a cold sweat and could barely make it home. Of course, I will not know anything until the biopsy, but I am under the assumption that it is malignant as the radiologist wanted me to get the biopsy as soon as possible.

The score also came back with a BiRads of 4.

I read enough to know that the waiting is the hardest part. I just felt like I was slammed with information and just sent home with a "good luck." So obviously, I am terrified. I am trying to soothe myself with the fact that it is semi small.


There is a 1.8 cm irregular spiculated mass in the right breast at 2:00, corresponding to mass seen on mammography.

No suspicious findings in the right outer breast in the area of possible additional architectural distortion seen on mammography.

No suspicious findings in the remainder of the right breast. No axillary adenopathy.

· Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Comments

  • JoTheGreek
    JoTheGreek Member Posts: 54
    edited October 2021

    Hi, hun

    The odds are in your favour as birads 4 means that your biopsy results have a 66% to 77% chance of being benign, not cancer.

    I've been there myself, it was altogether (psychologically) traumatic and in hindsight I regret those few weeks I dwelled in a state of fear, ruminating on every possible worst case scenario.

    I had an excisional biopsy, that was what my breast surgeon thought was best for my case, which means I underwent an oncoplasty surgery (lumpectomy -although the term is widely used when there's cancer in the tissue specimen, which was not the case with me-) and 9 days later I received my benign results.

    Unfortunately in my case and prior to the surgery I had to undergo a couple more tests with contrast (breast MRI and contrast enhanced spectral mammography) so please do trust me a biopsy right away is the safest (and a side-effect free) procedure which instantly tells the whole story in depth!

    I wish you every luck and send you all my benign thoughts,

    Love,

    Jo

    PS: and, yes, my mass was also spiculated in the MRI...

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Hippmark
    Hippmark Member Posts: 93
    edited October 2021

    Thank you! It is the spiculated portion that concerns me. And the urgency of the radiologist, but I guess that would be par for the course. I read where 87% of spiculated diagnosis is cancerous.

    Yes, I can worry myself into oblivion and it won't change the results. But your thoughts give me hope.

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Salamandra
    Salamandra Member Posts: 1,444
    edited October 2021

    Hey Hippmark,

    When the radiologists believe something is most likely cancer, they can label it birads 5. The fact is they chose not to.

    I'd also say that reading these boards over the years, you see women worrying because the radiologists didn't act concerned enough almost as often as worrying because the radiologists acted too concerned. In the end, it doesn't matter, we all have to just wait for the results.

    I had birads 5 which, as expected, turned out to be cancer. But it was stage 1 and I didn't need chemo and overall looking back a few years later I feel both lucky and optimistic about my future. But it was a long road mentally because of all my baggage and fears around cancer.

    Hopefully yours will be among the majority of birads 4 scans that come back benign but even if it does come back malignant, it's just a beginning of a new part of your story, and most likely not the beginning of the end.


    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Categories