Having my first biopsy today. Nervous as hell!
I'm 43. I had my first mammogram in Nov 2019 and it came back fine. Said I had fibroglandular breasts, not dense breasts.
I was supposed to have my 2nd mammogram in Nov 2020, but the hospital had a huge hack and they were unable to do mammograms for a few months. It was rescheduled to Feb 2021. But then I broke my ankle and I rescheduled to May 2021. So I just had that on Wednesday and I got the note in my chart that I had to come back in for a followup mammogram and ultrasound. I was so nervous. Luckily they got me in on Friday(2 days later). But after that ultrasound they said they wanted to do a biopsy. I am having that done today. I go between being fine with it and crying.
My regular mammogram last week said I had a "focal asymmetry at 9:00" on the left breast. The ultrasound results said "The lower inner quadrant of the left breast was scanned with ultrasound utilizing grayscale, Doppler and real-time technique. There is an island of echogenic fibroglandular tissue at the 9:00 position, 8 cm out from the nipple which may correlate with the mammographic developing asymmetry."
I was pretty nervous when the doctor came in after the ultrasound and talked to me. She did say the same thing happened to her and it was fine (but does she say that to everyone to put them at ease?). I also remember her saying something like she expected this to come back benign or normal, or something like that. I wish I could have recorded what she said so i could replay it and pick apart her words. I have no real history of breast cancer in my family. My father's aunt had it when she was 75ish, so theres that. My mom has had 2 biopsies. One i think they drained fluid from a cyst. I feel like they did that on the spot though. Another time, more recently they had her come back for a followup mammogram, then an ultrasound, then a biopsy, and after all that they just said "you have dense breast tissue"...but my mammogram letter says I dont have dense breasts, so I am unsure that it could be that. Do breasts get denser as you get older? Anyways, I am nervous. Any words of advice would be appreciated.
Also, the hospital said I will get a results letter in my online chart probably within 24 hours, from the lab. But that it takes an additional 2-3 days for the doctor to review the findings and for them to call me. Would you look at the results when they first come in? Or wait for the doctor to explain it? On one hand, I could eliminate days of worry by checking early. but then I would have no idea on a treatment plan if I needed one....I am leaning towards reading the results ASAP. At least I can come to terms with bad news if there is some before I get a phone call.
Thank you!
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Dear KHallinVT,
Welcome to the BCO community. We are sorry that these breast changes and the worry that they cause have brought you here. We are glad that you reached out. While you have not received any responses from our members just yet, it looks like a number of people have posted similar stories like yours in recent days about upcoming biopsies and waiting on results. Our members will say that waiting on information can be very stressful. Here is a link to some resources in our Not Diagnosed but Worried Forum about Common Imaging Concerns. We will let others weigh in on what they have found to be helpful in the way of getting information via a portal or from your doctor. It looks like you are figuring that out for yourself and everyone is different in how to cope with receiving information.
We wish you the very best with your biopsy today. Please keep us posted on how it goes, how you are doing and what you learn. We are here to support you through this.
The Mods
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Hi! Good luck today with the biopsy! This is from Moose & Doc. Hopefully it is benign. Let us know how it goes. I always look at my tests right away, but in the beginning before I knew anything--- I had a nurse navigator and was receiving the information via phone calls from the Doc.
Focal asymmetry
Means the suspect asymmetry-mass is much smaller, and has a similar shape on two views. It lacks the clear borders that we see in a true mass, and it usually appears as an 'island' of normal , yet dense fibroglandular tissue. The likelihood of malignancy with focal asymmetry is less than 1%.
Follow-up procedures will, to some degree, depend upon whether or not this is a first or subsequent screening. If there are previous mammograms and the focal asymmetry seems to be stable, then a radiologist will consider this mass to be benign. However, yearly screenings may be necessary for monitoring purposes.
If this is the first screening and without other worrisome features, the lesion is 'probably benign' or about a BIRADS category 3, radiologists recommend short term ( 6 months or less ) follow-up. However, the chance of malignancy is still less than 2%.
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Wow. that makes me feel a lot better. I am assuming they didnt see anything in 2019 and this is new since then. That was worrisome to me. If the likelihood of malignancy is less than 1%, why do they do a biopsy? I swear the radiologist said that they order a biopsy when they arent at least 98% sure that it is benign. My mammogram results after the ultrasound said it was BIRADS 4 "Suspicious".
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A Birads 4 is good. I think because they see it they 100% need to get a sample to be certain. It's a lot to go through but in the end if it's benign it will be on your record for the next time. I've had a biopsy post cancer treatment that they thought would be benign and it was.
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Thank you for easing my fears. I leave in 25 minutes to go to the hospital to have this biopsy done. I'll be sure to come back and post my results when they come back.
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Biopsy is done. Entire thing took about an hour. It wasn't horrible, but was unpleasant. I'm hoping I wont have to do that again. Now just have to wait for the results...
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Good luck with your results! I hope its nothing!
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Welcome KHallin! Glad the biopsy went all right. I hope you hear soon! People really vary about whether they want to know before hearing from the doc's office or not. I am one who really wants to know right away though I don't get extremely anxious if there's an issue. I tend to get more restless waiting while not knowing.... A friend of mind just had a call back on a mammogram - her first and she's close to 70.... she was very upset the results were in before hearing from her doc - her result was normal - she just wasn't familiar with the language so it caused her more anxiety. You just have to have a sense of you and what will serve you best....
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khallin, I would read the reports posted so I could have questions prepared when they called.
Are you being seen at UVM? (The cyber hack and your VT make me think maybe). They have a good team, you’re in good hands with them.
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Yes, at UVM. Got some test results already that were confusing. But they were not really test results. It just detailed today’s procedure and one of the items scanned in was like a note and there was a mammogram findings section, then an ultrasound findings section which said “Normal Tissue”. If that was really the u/s findings im not sure why they tortured me with a biopsy. So I am still waiting patiently for my actual results. I knew it was too soon to have actual lab results since they appeared in my chart about 3 hours after my biopsy.
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Hi KHallinVT, I just got my biopsy on Monday, as in yesterday. I've been sweating things since I got a "bad" ultrasound last Wednesday, a BIRADS 4b. Just want the results and no more of this agonizing waiting. Wishing and praying that we both have cancer-free results!
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LivinLife, if this is not too personal, I see your information below your name. I'm wondering (and forgive me if this is too intrusive) how you made the decision to do the double mastectomy when you had a Stage 0 cancer? Purely a preventive move? Thank you.
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Hi JuliePink.... not too personal... I've posted my decision-making process/reasons at different points on this site. I have systemic scleroderma so was unable to have radiation which then meant no lumpectomy. due to the initial size (3 cm of known DCIS prior to biopsy + another 3 cm of "unknown" stuff found on MRI) and my age that sealed the deal though no radiation and my age (58 - postmenopausal) was enough for the surgeon to say mastectomy vs. lumpectomy. I already had several call backs on my other breast and two stereotactic biopsies so that factored in some - just wanted to be done with those kinds of things. what really did it for me was being large breasted - not wanting to undergo any additional surgeries due to healing issues I have - and not wanting to be left with one large breast. Also Grade 3 and very low positive ER and PR (5% and under). I figured that would be so uncomfortable physically and I would have been more uncomfortable emotionally as well. I am soooo glad I made the decision I did. I have had no regrets. After being large breasted since teen years I'm find so many things so much easier now, including sleeping, exercise, etc. Best to you!
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Got my results about 45 min ago. Its benign. A Fibroadenoma with adjacent dense fibrosis. Feeling much more relaxed now. Thanks everyone.
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Woo Hoo!!! Great news! Thanks for letting us know!
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Congratulations, KHallinVT! I can feel your deep exhale from here.
All the best to you for healthy days ahead!
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