New here, please help with anything

Debaroo777
Debaroo777 Member Posts: 3
edited June 2023 in Not Diagnosed But Worried

Hi! I’m new here and very nervous and anxious. I have never had a negative mammogram in 30 years. I’m 66 years and my recent mammogram shows a mass. It was only 12 days ago that I found a lump on my breast between my nipple and my collarbone on the left side of the right breast. It’s very painful so I thought it could’ve been a cyst which I also never had before. The pain feels like a stabbing pain. I was due for my mammogram this month and I had it done 4 days ago. My doctor called me with the results and was very rude considering the way she usually is. It was like she didn’t want to answer any questions and I get it but I said to her “can the mass be anything besides breast cancer?” and she said to me “what else could it be”! And she said the microcalcifications were highly suspicious. Here are the results. I’m scheduled tomorrow for a diagnostic mammogram, and a bilateral ultrasound. Can someone give me some kind of information. I definitely am thinking the worst with all this going on. My aunt passed from breast cancer. Thank you. I appreciate any insight you can give me.


BILATERAL DIGITAL MAMMOGRAM:

Craniocaudal and mediolateral oblique views of the left and right breast were obtained utilizing tomosynthesis with C-View reformatted two dimensional images. This examination was correlated and reviewed with Computer Aided Detection system (CAD). Comparison: 6/9/2022

There are scattered areas of fibroglandular tissue.

There is a new 1.5 x 1.2 cm high density mass in the right posterior breast with associated microcalcifications.

No masses, suspicious calcifications or other suspicious abnormalities are identified in the left breast.

IMPRESSION:

1. There is a new 1.5 x 1.2 cm high density mass in the right posterior breast with associated microcalcifications.

Comments

  • exbrnxgrl
    exbrnxgrl Member Posts: 5,311

    debaroo,

    I know you are worried so I won’t say don’t worry. I am not a doctor nor medical professional and don’t want to interpret your report as such. The report is very straightforward and further imaging is needed, You will have a bit more info after the diagnostic mammo and ultrasound. If you need a biopsy then even more info will be available.
    I understand that this is a difficult time . While I don’t give medical advice or interpret reports, I will say that you should try to deal with what you know now and not speculate about what is still unknown. Take care

  • kaynotrealname
    kaynotrealname Member Posts: 442

    I'll add that this is the worst time for all of us. The gathering information bit is excruciating so don't feel bad about being stressed out. We all were. Hopefully they'll gather the info quickly and the result is benign. But if it's not also know that breast cancer treatment just in the last 20 years has come a long, long way. Most people are able to avoid chemo and most go onto to live the rest of their lives only to die of something else. So just take heart that even the worst case scenario won't be as bad as you fear. Good luck!!

  • mandy23
    mandy23 Member Posts: 131

    debaroo -

    It's so hard to go through this process. At this point, you don't know whether or not it is bc. However, you need to focus on the positive aspects. You have apparently been diligent about getting mammograms and the size of the mass is fairly small, so if it is a malignancy, you have caught it early, which is really important.

    Lots of people are here for you. Keep asking questions and we will do our best to help.

    We've all been through this and feel your pain and stress….

  • Debaroo777
    Debaroo777 Member Posts: 3
    edited June 2023

    Thank you everyone. I was actually afraid to come on here because I felt kind of stupid not being diagnosed but I just needed some help and advice. I’m not looking for anyone to diagnose me. It’s only normal for me to speculate because I have anxiety disorder and lost my husband five years ago so I’m alone besides for a few family members. So I just wanted to see if anybody had something similar before they were diagnosed. Thank you all for your time.

  • katg
    katg Member Posts: 252

    Thank you for posting your story so far. I just read mine that I posted in July of 2021 when my journey started.

    I never had a mammogram at 60. Found a lump in my breast after some odd aching in my breast for a few months. Mine ended up being 5.4. Stage 2 and no metastasizing. I did find out in a genetic test at City of Hope that i carry the Brca2 mutation. My younger sister tested, her daughter and my older brother. All of us carry it. I am the only one with cancer from it. My younger sister had her fallopian tubes and ovaries out.

    I am nearing the end of my treatment. I will say that i always new my Dr and team had my cancer fully in their sights. Setbacks, they came together as a team to talk about a change of treatment. I posted questions in the portal and they answered. No question of mine when unanswered.

    Today, June 17, I was made aware by my older sister that she is seeing my Dr. at City of Hope about surgery to remove some small item on her ovary. It is very possible it could be like the item on mine when they removed my ovaries and tubes. It was not cancerous. My sister? She chose not to be genetically tested. Now, she has taken the family letter I provided and is bringing it to her appointment. I let genetics know she is coming and gave her their number. I will not ask her again if she is going to do it. She told me she should have removed her tubes and ovaries as we did.

    To all of us, take it a day at a time, a treatment or test at a time. Ask questions and know that most doctors are in the business of curing you. I kept in touch with a friend who got me to join bc.org who was on this journey long before me. From her i heard that i would be ok. Each time a doctor ordered a test we talked after with a plan.

    Come back and share when possible.

  • janehicks
    janehicks Member Posts: 50

    debaroo

    I"m so sorry you're having to deal with this anxiety! And on top of it, the less than compassionate behavior of your doctor.

    I wish I had medical training and could give your some reassurance but I know next to nothing. There have been masses that are benign and microcalcifications that are also benign. I've had two masses in other part of my body imaged this year that were both benign.

    What I can tell you is, the waiting really is the worst part. I was so anxious waiting for results, I couldn't even focus on a simple TV show. My treatment has been a piece of cake compared to the paralyzing anxiety of waiting for results.

    If you can find something, anything at all, to distract yourself even a little, it will help. Do all the things that make you feel better, eat something deliciously sinful, buy yourself a gift. Whatever it takes to get through the next few days.

    We are here for you!

  • Debaroo777
    Debaroo777 Member Posts: 3
    edited June 2023

    Thank you to everyone for your stories and your kind words! I got my reports from my diagnostic mammogram and the bilateral ultrasound. Of course now I think the worst and I wasn’t thinking that way until I went researching more on the Internet and was reading about aggressive cancers. I’m hoping someone can see something here on my reports and add your input. I also am seeing a breast surgeon on Thursday, two days from now, so maybe she can ease my mind. I will accept a cancer diagnosis. I just hope it isn’t aggressive. Since I discovered this 2 1/2 weeks ago, I have had pain in it. Pain in the actual mass that feels like a constant knife in it or stabbing. It’s almost like a muscle spasm that won’t let up but it’s constantly there. Has anyone else had any kind of pain on the tumor/mass?

    CLINICAL HISTORY: Questionable high density mass in the right breast. Additional views are recommended.

    DIAGNOSTIC RIGHT BRÉAST MAMMOGRAM:

    True lateral view of the right breast as well as spot magnification views of the right breast and the true lateral and MLO projections were obtained.

    Comparison was made to bilateral mammogram dated 6/12/23.

    This examination was correlated and reviewed with Computer Aided Detection system

    (CAD).

    Scattered fibroglandular tissue is seen throughout the right breast.

    A lobulated hyperdense lesion in the right upper breast measuring 1.9 × 1.3 cm has lobulated borders and suspicious pleomorphic calcifications. This is located 7.5 cm from the nipple

    BILATERAL BREAST ULTRASOUND:

    Sonographic evaluation of the bilateral breast was performed in all four quadrants as well as the retroareolar breasts and bilateral axilla. 


    Lobulated hypochoic mass in the right breast at the 1 o'clock position 8 cm the nipple contains internal calcifications

    No discrete cystic or solid lesions are identified in the left breast.

    IMPRESSION:

    1. Lobulated hyperdense mass in the right upper breast with pleomorphic calcifications.

    This is suspicious for malignancy. Tissue sampling is recommended for further evaluation.

    BI-RADS category 4 - Suspicious Abnormality. Biopsy should be considered.

  • kaynotrealname
    kaynotrealname Member Posts: 442

    Debaroo, there is no way to be sure until you have the biopsy. B-rads category 4 can be anywhere from 10% to 95% percent likelihood of being malignant so a wide range. Good news is that it doesn't appear large whatever it is so hold onto that.

  • moderators
    moderators Posts: 8,694

    @Debaroo777 How did your meeting with the BS go? We're thinking of you!

    —The Mods