Waiting to get biopsy and an appointment with breast surgeon.
I had 3d mammogram and ultrasound yesterday as I was flagged for a asymmetry finding during my screening. The testing actually went okay, had to go back and forth between 3d mammogram and ultrasound twice as they were trying to find more about it I guess. I got to meet the Doctor (Radiologist) after a long wait and was informed that there are 2 areas of concern, one showed up only in mammogram and the other only one in ultrasound. The Doctor (Radiologist) over at the Women's health center wanted me to go in for biopsy for the one found under mammogram and do a follow up on the other in 6 months. I was prepared for any and all news but it did made be restless, but took it as a neutral news because both the findings are small ( 6 mm and 5 mm). But, I had call from my PCP's office today morning after she reviewed my reports and was informed that my PCP wants me to see a breast surgeon because of the nature of the findings and where it is located. She feels it puts me in a high risk and also that biopsy is definitely needed. I took things okay while on call, but it does terrify me. I just read the report and actually it seems like they found another small one as well apart from the ones discussed with me. I have a appointment for biopsy for March 14th, but overwhelmed about making an appointment with breast surgeon. I will be sending a message to my PCP to understand if I should wait until my biopsy report to see the breast surgeon or see the surgeon before I go for biopsy.
I am just sharing my update and kinda just talk it out and listen to anything that might help me in anyway. Thanks for taking time to read.
Here are my findings from yesterday:
Study Result
Impression
1. Single view lateral right breast indeterminate asymmetry with no orthogonal view or clear sonographic correlate. Further evaluation with stereotactic core biopsy recommended.
2. On ultrasound, there is a 9:00 right breast hypoechoic or cystic indeterminate mass without a clear mammographic correlate. At the juncture, six-month follow-up with right breast ultrasound is recommended. There are also other hypoechoic or cystic 9:00 smaller masses that could be followed.
BI-RADS: 4 - Suspicious (4A-Low Suspicion for Malignancy)
FINDINGS:
DENSITY: Breast Density Category B: The breasts have scattered areas of fibroglandular density.
On additional images including tomography, 6 mm asymmetry in the outer right breast on the CC view persisted with no corresponding finding in the lateral projections.
Sonographic evaluation of central lateral and inferior outer right breast was performed by the technologist and revealed a 5 mm nonshadowing hypoechoic or cystic mass at 9:00, 6 cm from the nipple that after obtaining post BB films appears more laterally located than the asymmetry on the CC view. In addition, also at 9:00 there is a flattened benign appearing 5 mm cyst plus a 3 mm probably complicated cyst both 6 cm from the nipple.
Breast physical examination was not performed.
Comments
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Bumping for 1_1_1! Can anyone weigh in with thoughts/experiences?
Thanks!
--The Mods
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Welcome 1_! It does sounds like your PCP just wants to do due diligence vs. there are truly findings they believe are cancerous... Most of the time (about 75-80%) findings are benign for call-backs, including biopsy results. Hold onto that while you wait the next two weeks for biopsy and then results... If there is any cancer found vs. cystic, firbroadenoma, other benign findings, then it does sound like they caught things very early given such small sizes you mentioned... Please let us know what you find. I'm hoping others will respond before long....
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I have two thoughts on the appt with surgeon One concerns timing and the other money (I will say my PCP offered me a referral to the surgeon before my biopsy which I did not take which didn't matter because based on timing the appointment would have been after the biopsy anyway).
If you schedule the appointment with the breast surgeon now then it might end up being after the biopsy anyway right. So from a timing point of view having someone who can go over the results with you in person no matter what they are especially since there are multiple areas of concern might actually ease your mind. Also if there is a backlog in your area in terms of scheduling then you might feel better having the appointment already in placed.
From a financial standpoint, if you feel like an appointment before your biopsy might ease your mind and is not a burden then by all means take it if you can get it. My feeling is you can also cancel the appointment if the biopsy shows no cause of concerns.
If I had accepted the referral from the PCP my appointment with the surgeon might have been a week sooner but maybe not but there wasn't a chance of it being before the biopsy. She was very proactive. She called after the biopsy results came back because she didn't see an appointment with the surgeon yet and wanted to make sure it was in the works. (And that did stress me out because because I was concerned the doctor who performed the biopsy who had talked to about the results dropped the ball but she was trying to set me up with a specific surgeon but didn't like how long the wait would be).
Sorry this is so long. Your PCP does sound like they are trying to make sure you are getting proper care and make sure things are moving along but obviously sometimes after talking to yet another doctor about the same thing it adds a bit to stress
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Thank you Mods for your kindness!
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Thank you livinglife for your thoughtful and comforting words, appreciate it. I have been telling myself and reminding myself the same exact things. Hoping the biopsy goes smoothly and I can get some definite answers. I will sure to update you all!
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Thank you quietgirl for taking time to share your thoughts with me, really appreciate it. I hope all is good with you and your appointments helped you. Often we all find ourselves in a situation that we can't relate to someone in our circle and just want to talk and hear from others who have been in the same shoes. It makes the situation less stressful and comforting. I too believe my PCP is proactive and just want to be thorough and really cares for me. She is my new PCP and I got to meet her only once, but felt really good about her. My thoughts are similar to yours and I wanted to set a appointment with surgeon after 19th, so I can discuss the biopsy results as well. I will be sending out a message today and see what my PCP says. I have quite a few on my plate due to unexpected health scares in the past 2 years including a rare tumor inside my shoulder bone, which I am waiting to get follow up MRI and see a orthopedic oncologist. I feel okay and just want to keep at it, but it's so overwhelming at times and looks like all I am doing is scheduling, finding Doctors, recommendations and making appointments and taking tests. Hope this biopsy gives me some answers and can move forward with a plan.
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Update: My PCP got back to me and said that going in for biopsy is the best course of action and then depending on the results, they can put me through breast surgeon in a timely manner. So, I am going to wait until the biopsy to get a appointment. The procedure explained for mammographically guided core biopsy makes me so anxious and very nervous, all this seems surreal.
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well they numb you up pretty good during the biopsy so nothing is really painful in the actual biopsy area (they talk about the medication stinging but it did not for me). Of there are a lot of odd sensations ( after all they are poking and prodding at you). One of the uncomfortable parts for me was just laying on my stomach (but I’m not a good example because I had to have two sites done and they knew the second site was going to be challenging on the bright side the second site was cancer free was it was worth the extra time). I know this won’t make you less nervous but they really do try to work as quick as possible based on what they need to do. Things are more uncomfortable than they are painful. You’ll make it through. Just wear comfortable clothing. I can’t imagine wearing a pair of jeans or a pants and having a button or snap pressing into your stomach for 20 or 30 minutes.
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@quietgirl I am planning on wearing comfy joggers. I hope I can make it through, as the first thing that worried me was being on stomach and the biopsy is mammogram guided. I am glad your second concerned area was cancer free. I am only going in for one of them, which was only seen through mammogram. I guess they will decide what to do with the other one depending the result of this one. If everything looks good, I will be going for a 6 month follow up ultrasound for the second one.
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I wanted to pop in too. My first biopsy was ordered by my new doctors office Physician Assistant. I had come in because i found a lump. She made another appointment to talk about results and do a physical. Seem i had a 5cm mass. What i said to myself was "Are you kidding me God!". Off I went for a mammogram. Yes, because i did not have large breasts and for other reasons, I never got one. Once all the info was in, Christina Dizon, the PA referred me to 2 choices and she said the City of Hope was my best option. I checked my insurance for their affiliations with the COH and found one. DR.Amy Polvirini. Made an appointment and we were off!!!! at the 6 o clock position it was. One good size lump.
The journey continued. I must tell you that i have not worried, nor freaked out for any of these last 8 months. I talk God, my friends and my sisters into every office visit. Into every test, infusion or blood draw or transfusion. I tell someone what i am feeling. I do my very best to live in today and live with the message from another friend with cancer, that you can walk through all of it. The biopsy did not hurt as i too was numb. The bruise after is what let me know i had anything done. My mass was malignant and Stage 2. By August 14th, my first chemo, I had an MRI facing down (really the most comfortable), a CT, and a bone scan ( most uncomfortable face up and not moving at all for 30 mins.).
YOU CAN DO IT. WE ARE HERE BEFORE YOU LEADING THE WAY. SO MANY MORE BEFORE ME THAT LIT MY WAY. No matter the result, you will be OK. My prayer is no big deals, no malignancy and just hope that with regularly testing and checkups, you will be good. I have a few friends with lumps, that were benign in all cases.
What i found out August 13 from the genetic counselor at City of Hope, was I inherited the BRCA2 gene, likely from mom. That has changed the course of all treatments.
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