Confused with biopsy findings vs ultrasound

jillycatt

Hi all,

A few weeks ago I noticed spontaneous bloody discharge from my right nipple. I got an ultrasound and mammogram, followed by a biopsy for a suspicious growth they found in my right breast under my nipple. Pathology report as follows:

Clinical Information

Spontaneous + Nipple D/C Rt Br on US intraductal (illegible) defect with apparent vascularity at 8:00, 3 x 16G cores with US. ? Papilloma.

Diagnosis

Core biopsy, right breast:

Benign breast changes

I received a phone call from my doctor today who said the biopsy results werepresenting a “mixed picture” with my ultrasound images. I’m being urgently referred to a local breast health clinic.

Has anyone been in a similar situation? I was feeling very positive about the results but now I’m not sure what to expect.

Thanks in advance for any responses, I’m feeling lost and so uncertain about this. I’m still discharging blood every day from my right breast, it sucks.

rah2464

Jillycat I haven't had this experience with discordant results but it sounds as though your doctor is being thorough and wants a specialist's eyes on your condition. I wouldn't take this necessarily as an ominous sign, just an indication as to how careful your medical team is with you. Hope you get a referral appointment soon and clarification as to what all this means.

jillycatt

Thank you. I’m very glad they’re being diligent and I hope to find out more soon.

jillycatt

Just wanted to post an update. I’m having the growth removed surgically in early July so they can biopsy the mass and because it’s still causing me discomfort. I’m still bleeding from my nipple at least a few drops a day and sometimes my breast is sore. The doctor was really great to meet withand I feel I’m in good hands. I’m mostly nervous about going under general anesthesia and recovering but I’m very glad they’ll be taking it out.

jillycatt

Hello,

I thought I would post an update in case it is useful for others. I had surgery on Monday and just got my results online, it was an intraductal papilloma as suspected. I’m healing slowly but surely!

I’ll be receiving a call from my doctor to go over the results and will likely have a follow up appointment in the next few weeks.

There is lots on the pathology report that I don’t fully understand, such as “fibrotic tissue with focal zones of hemorrhage and multiple cystic structures” and “grossly abnormal tissue extends to all surrounding margins and is grossly 1.0cm from the distal margin” - but it seems my diagnosis is benign. I have a follow up mammogram in November so we’ll continue to keep a close eye on things.

Thanks again for all the support here, it’s been very reassuring to hear other’s stories.

jillycatt

My husband just took a look at the pathology report and noticed a comment from the pathologist that I didn’t see at the bottom:

“Pathologist Comment: IDC Blocks A3-A5 ARH”

I know what IDC stands for, is this maybe what I think it is?

mikamika

From my understanding, all the findings are highlighted in the first page. Sort of summary or results.

jillycatt

Thanks, mikamika. There is no mention of IDC except in the pathologist comments, so I think I’m in the clear. I’ve listed the report findings below:

Clinical Information
Hx right nipple discharge, 9 mm retroareolar intraduct nodule

Diagnosis
Breast, Right, Wire-Localized Excision:

- Intraductal papilloma, benign, excised

The specimen consists of a segmental resection of right breast tissue with a needle localization wire present, protruding from the presumed distal surface. Orientation wires are not grossly identified. Skin is not grossly identified. The tissue weighs 6.8 g, and measures 4.3 x 2.4 x 1.4 cm. The tissue is inked blue. The tissue is serially sectioned perpendicular to the length of the localization wire to reveal variegated tan and pink, somewhat firm, fibrotic tissue, with focal zones of hemorrhage and multiple cystic structures, measuring 2.7 x 2.1 x 1.4 cm. The grossly abnormal tissue extends to all surrounding margins, and is grossly 1.0 cm from the distal margin.

The tissue is submitted in toto from distal to proximal, into eleven cassettes, with the distal margin submitted en face in cassette A1 and the proximal margin perpendicularly sectioned and submitted in cassette A11.

Pathologist Comment
IDC blocks A3-A5 ARH

rah2464

Jillycat that is interesting. Your formal diagnosis is bengin. Wonder what the terminology in the comment section pertains to? Would you do us a favor and when you find out update us here. Wondering if it is a technical jargon that just happens to coincide with the IDC that we all worry about.

Glad you had the excisional biopsy. Hope all heals well

jillycatt

Thanks so much, rah2464. I’ll definitely update once I’ve spoken with my doctor and received some clarification. I usually stay away from google, but I’ve been trying to see if IDC could be an abbreviation for something else with no luck.