Did ultrasound miss your cancer?
I have a question for the you beautiful ladies, I had an ultrasound today and I am not more confused than ever. Ultrasound didnt show anything but, the doctor could feel the lump and my swollen arm pet, he told me something I have never heard before, he said that this happens a lot that ultrasound misses to show lumps all the time, it is best showing water filled cycts and so far what we know is this is not a cyst suggested that I go see a BS, ( I hope my obgyn will feel the same )and see what he wants to do... So now I am even more consern than I was before... So I am wondering if there are ladies out there like me felt their lump and ultrasound missed it, and it end up being cancer... I dont know if I should just let it go since ultrasound didnt show anything, I dont get that why would it not show something that is clearly there... Thank you for your in put, I am lost and dont know what to do next...
Betterwannabe ( nihan )
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Betterwannabe... sorry you are going through this - my ultrasound was exactly correct. It was IDC. The mammogram found a tiny spot - the ultrasound showed it almost to the exact size etc - it couldn't be felt... and the MRI was a horrifying exaggeration that thankfully turned out to be wrong.
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Thank you for your response...
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bump
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A very experienced radiologist detected my small 9mm tumor after reading the digital mammogram.........she immediately (same day) sent me for an ultra-sound, but the technician couldn't find it (I didn't have a lump.) But the same radiologist came into the room and immediately found the tumor and took the photos. So - oftentimes it's not necessarily the equipment, but the experience of the radiologist or technician that makes the biggest difference.
I'm assuming you had a mammo - or at least an MRI - before going to see a surgeon........is that correct?
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Betterwannabe, I am so sorry for what you are going through right now. Please know when I write this that the last thing I want to do is scare you since everyone has a different experience and many get the results they want. Unfortunately I had a mammogram and and ultrasound that came back "normal" and showed nothing. A month later I felt a lump...and not a small one either. I went back for a second mammogram which still showed nothing and the ultrasound technician had trouble seeing anything even though we could both feel the lump! I had a biopsy and it did turn out to be cancer. That was followed by an MRI which was accurate down to the exact size. I was very glad I had the MRI because it showed a second cancerous lump that was too internal to feel. I fear it would have been missed had I not had the MRI. I know this is hard to hear and the unknown is a scary place. I hope that your results are different than mine but I do think you should be your own advocate and push for more follow up. best of luck to you.
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I agree with susand. Push for a follow up if you are still concerned.
I don't want to scare you but my mam and two ultrasounds didn't find half the extent that was evident post surgery.
Mine journey started because I found a lump.
Best of luck. Fingers crossed it's nothing!
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I had a mammo yes and it showed suspicious spots I have been told but ultrasound is not backing it up, so here I am with a lump my arm-pet is swollen at times it feels like I am caring something under my arm but nothing visual, I can feel it when I rise my arm, so very concern...
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I'm in the same boat as you. I found a lump in my left breast in January. (I'm 37) Went for mammo and u/s. Neither showed anything. My OB/GYN sent me to breast specialist. After examining me, she did not feel it was suspicious and was likely a lipoma. But, I keep reading stories on here that worry me, so I'm thinking about calling and asking her to u/s it herself- I don't feel like the first one I had was very thorough- the tech didn't even try to feel the lump.
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IzzyK I am sorry that you are in the same place as I am... I so wanted to hear today them saying oh it is a cysct, or I was even ready to hear look suspicious lets do a biopsy, but when there is nothing showing I am lost! I broke down and started to cry, cuz i read about this beautiful ladies and how much they have to pust for the right test, why is it so hard to get the right care? Now I have to go back to my obgyn and I hope that she wont say it is probably nothing, what if it is something? If they were us, would they settle with what they are giving to us? The male doctor today didnt even feel the lump but tech did, and I guess she let him know of that with out even feeling it he said I suggest you go to BS. I dont know if they even really care sometimes... we will see what my obgyn will say, but I really wanna know if there are alot of ladies out there where mammo and ultrasound failed to show the lump... Thank you all so very much as i feel so alone...
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Betterwannabe - I dont want to scare you either but I have a friend who had several mammograms that were fine. She said she felt something but nothing was showing up. She decided to consult another dr who ordered a MRI and they found it - not one but two cancers in the same breast. She had a mastectomy and chemo and is doing great. Go with your instincts because after all it is your life. We are praying for you. Diane
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Betterwannabe,
My mammos did not show what the ultrasound did (Sonocine 3D ultrasound) and the MRI show benign nodules as confirmed by biopsy. Could you push for a Sonocine ultrasound or MRI. I know both of those things can so many false positives but they also give a different picture too. For me, seeing a BS was wonderful because she was definite about what to do next instead of me wondering if I am following up correctly. She was also the one who called my insurance and forced them to give me an MRI. You are not alone in your struggle. We are here with you and we know what it is like to be so unsure and scared.
Amy
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My experience:
Felt a lump near the nipple, same breast that I had a fibroadenoma (benign) removed from 2 years before. At that time, the surgeon (male), made me feel like I was a hysteric because I insisted it be removed. So when I found this lump, I did not go back to him, but went to a breast surgeon (female). Had a negative mamogram, a negative ultrasound and a negative needle biopsy. The surgeon said most likely just scar tissue, but if I wanted to have it removed, that was my decision. By now I'm sure you've guessed the result - infiltrating ductal carcinoma. I've had a mastectomy (too close to he nipple to do a lumpectomy), and chemo. I am now 2 years post diagnosis, cancer-free thus far and feeling great. Breast surgeon tells me on each visit that I likely saved my own life by insisting on removing the lump that I felt. Not every situation will turn out like mine, but if your gut is that something is not right, persue it!
Good thoughts your way
Geri
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Amy thank you! I just dont wanna look like this crazy woman who wants to have cancer, cuz when I was so sad that they didnt see anything tech asked me what do you want us to see? Sounded like I was upset because there was nothing to biopsy, I was upset cuz it seemed like what i feel and my doctor feels is not there than I asked her if she would feel it and she did so I said I want some answers knowing I have something growing in me is very distorbing and I was hoping that they would tell be it is a cycst from what they see...
Thank you all ladies...
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Geri thank you! That is exactly what it is, my mind cannot rest... I get in the shower to see if it is still there couple times a day, I go to bed thinking about it, and wake up thinking about it... And cant talk much about it cuz it seems to everyone else, it is probably nothing so they change the subject so fast dont even see that I need to vent... Thank you for listening...
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Betterwannabe, I am sorry that you feel alone. Its an awful feeling. I want to say that I have know a lot of women who have gone through a similar experience and ended up NOT having cancer, so please try not to get too worried. I just emphasise to be your own advocate and fight to have all the tests because of my experience. I feel that because my mammogram and ultrasound results were "normal" no doctor was in a rush to do more tests on me. By the time I first felt the lump it took 3 months to get all my appointments with my Gyn, BS, retested and finally a biopsy. No doctor seemed too worried and all said I had dense breasts and it was almost positively a fatty lipoma. Because no doctor felt it was urgent I was not as persistent as I should have been and didn't mind waiting 2 weeks here another week there. Finally one very experienced radiologist insisted on a biopsy. I could kick myself now because I always wonder if I had it discovered earlier that I had cancer, could I have prevented the micro invasion of my lymph nodes. You have nothing to loose by pushing for what you want...and chances are it will be good news. That's always fun to find out sooner than later!
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susand if you dont mind me asking, did you have any other signs of cancer other than lump? I am very tired lately and my lympnode under my arm is swollen which was comform by the tech today. and what stage your cancer was once they find it? Thank you so much for writing means so much!
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betterwannabe- I found a lump in 2004. Mammo and US were negative and it seemed to disappear. Fast forward to 2010 after 6 years of negative mammos and a lump shows up in the exact same 6 oclock location on the left breast. This time they biopsied and it was positive for cancer. I will always wonder if they had biopsied it in 2004 if I would have been diagnosed earlier and it would not have spread to my node. My BS said my BC could have been growing 5-10 years. Please trust your instinct if you feel you need a biopsy, not to mention you will save a lot of anxious time in the shower feeling yourself!0
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Desinermom, you made me smile with your feeling yourself in the shower comment
I am sorry about your diagnoses, that is exatcly what I am worried of, if I let this go now will it come back and bite me... I just wish it was just easier than this, and I didnt have to put up a fight to get the neccesary care as I am not that out going...
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I was stage IIb. I had felt a little off for a good 6 months before diagnosis. I know it sounds strange but I had seemed to develop an intolerance to alcohol. I used to enjoy a couple of drinks on the weekend but I started feeling ill or dizzy if I just had a few sips. I don't know if It had anything to do with my cancer or not. I do know that I kept telling my husband that something was wrong and my body didn't seem to be able to handle things or bounce back as much as I was used to. I was 42 at my dx and have two young children so once I got my stage IIb dx I went as aggressive as possible with my treatments. You could be tired from the stress, the unknown or even an infection which is causing your lymph nodes to be swollen. There are many things that it could be and not be cancer. Its just so much easier once you know so that you can treat it.
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designermom, I love your picture. It makes me want to click my heals together and make a wish
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Thank you for responding susand, I am 30 and have 3 young children 3,4 and 5... I try going to gym every day during the week for a good couple hours to keep my weight down as I easly gain weight but last two months I seems to not have as much energy as I normally do, but I am with you I hope my body is fight some infection, but made a desicion I am gonna go till I get an answer of what this is, you ladies are amazing, and knowing that you guys care to repy means a lot so I am gonna stand up for myself till I know for sure this is not cancer!
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betterwannabe,
After caring for my mom and gma through their bc battles, I have learned a very valued lesson that lumps belong in jars and that mammo's and ultra sounds are just not very accurate in their dx of younger breast tissue especially if you have dense breast tissue. My evaluations have been all over the place. The mammo was negative, the us showed at complex cyst. After a seeing a breast surgeon, he recommended an mri because of my age, risk factors, and dense breast tissue. The mri showed the lump as solid with lots of blood supply and also recommended an mri guided biopsy of two additional sites of thickened tissue that was not detected at all by other imaging. And indeed, the mass was solid proved by the tissue retracted 12 times by the core needle! As I hold out hope that the mass is just b9 mass, and the thickened tissue is that of fibroid changes, the fact is, even the radiologist said, the only way to know is to biopsy it and agreed that we should proceed. I will find out the results tomorrow. I also believe that a woman just know her own body and when something is just not right. God gives us amazing insight and He will lead you to someone who will listen and take appropriate steps to help you discover the origin of this lump you feel. I am truly sorry that we even have to be having this chat, but am thrilled that we all one athother to cope! Hugs to you!!!
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Wonderfullymade, thank you! I am gonna try to see if my doctor would send me to MRI before BS, I dont even know if my insurance will cover it with out any results from ultrasound I gave tricare, my husband is retired army. any one know anything about that?
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I had a lump that was being watched I had an ultrasound every year and always marked it during my mamo but was told it was a lymph node. Finally had a biopsy this year after 4 years of watching and thinking it was a node. I was told. Let's biopsy it since it seems to concern you. And you can see my stats. And my sister and mom both had bc so not sure why it was not taken seriously sooner. My other sister is given a MRI every year 6 months offset from mamo due to family history but I didn't know he was doing that until mine was found... I think MRI would have shown it when ultrasound didn't. So fight for some more testing for peace of mind!
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I am sorry for your diagnoses... I am gonna call my doctor right now, and see what she says...
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I just left a message wirh my obgyn nurse to see if the doctor would send me for an MRI, please ladies keep your fingers crossed so that she will agree to MRI... I am going crazy... I drink a bottle of wine all by myself last night so I could sleep...
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Betterwannabe,
I hope you get your MRI and that it will give you peace of mind. I think you should remember that you are asking people on a breast cancer forum if they ended up havign cancer that wasn't seen. Of course you are gonna get stories here where that happened, since the majority here HAD breast cancer. But keep in mind there are probably many women who had same situation as you and everything turned out okay...so they aren't posting on a breast cancer forum. Best wishes!
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Napaoctober, I just wanna know if ultrasound misses the lump cancer or not, I know the only way to know if it is cancer to get it biopsied but I guess my title is wrong you are definitly right, but I am not sure if Ishould settle for there is nothing ubnormal answer when I can and everyone else can easly feel the lump. Thank you for your reply
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Just got a call back from the nurse and she said that OBGYN doesn't think that I need a follow up not with a BS or MRI done
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Betterwannabe
Go with your gut feelings. You wont rest easy unless you do and hopefully it will turn out to be NOTHING but again we just dont know. My BC did not show on Sono's which I have every 6 months. My last mammo showed it and then I was sent for another sono (did not show) but MRI showed it and more. PUSH as much as you have to with your doctors. Hope this helps
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