mammogram 2nd opinion advice please

Girlfriends -

Just about every time I have my annual mammogram, I get a call back. I do have dense breasts, even after a couple years with no estrogen, but I think the caution has as much to do with my personal and family history (my mother had breast cancer and died of ovarian ca).

This time, the suspicious area did not go away with compression views, and I subsequently had a breast MRI (not at all fun) and an ultrasound. The radiologists suspects this is just a small fibrocystic area - it is tiny - 5mm - but even I could see it on the US.

To make a long story short, the radiologist recommended a 4-6 month follow-up with another MRI or ultrasound and my breast surgeon agreed.

I am nervous because the rating was BI-RAD -3 and am wondering whether I should 1) go back to my gyn onc and see if he agrees 4-6 mo wait is OK or 2) haul all the films and reports to another surgeon, or 3) relax and wait 4 months.

Thoughts?

Dorrie

Hi Dorrie~

So sorry you are facing such a dilemma.

You know the history of my story and my sister.
Since her DX with ovca, she has had 3 false alarms with her breast testings (somewhat like you). They even went in to do surgery twice and all was benign.

I think you may already suspect what you would feel most comfortable doing. If it were me, I would definitely go with the opinion of your gyno/onc. What does your DH think?

In any event, I pray all turns out well, I'm sure it will. You don't need or deserve another issue to have to deal with. I believe your gyno/onc may be able to allay any fears.

's
Heni

Dorrie, You've just got to do what you're comfortable with.

I had a suspicious microcalcification cluster watched in semi-annual mammograms for five years. I was comfortable with that. At the five year mark, my surgeon saw the most recent mammo report (I was seeing him for something else). He said, "It's [the cluster] has changed. Biopsy. Results were DCIS.

Actually also had been watching similar thing in the other breast for a few years. Did a biopsy of that eventually. Benign fibroadenoma.

I was comfortable "watching" the clusters for a few years. But I don't have cancer in my family. In your case, I'd be a little more vigilent.

Mary D.

Dear Dorrie,

I too have 'very' dense breasts. They are always calling me back in to have more films done. I also have a history of cysts and calcifcations..not to mention, I rate high on all the risks factors. I also think having endo C has bumped me up in terms of risk assessment.

A few years back I ended up having four follow-up mammo's plus a sonogram in a little over a month. It was one of those nightmare/unending medical fiasco's. Too long a tale for this response.

In the end, it turned out to be my own tissue folding over on itself. On the film though, it looked like a darker mass. eeeeks!

Those of us with dense breast tissue seem to have a much more troublesome path regarding mammograms.

Because of so many false alarms/risk factors regarding my own dense breast tissue I understand your concern. I personally, would not be comfortable waiting so long. It would be a question of my mental heath. For your own sense of relief I would consider checking with your onc/gyo. Or, you could 'RELAX' ( what are the odds?)and wait for 4 months. hmmmmm

It is all so worrisome...anything found on tests out of the ordinary. However, it does sound like (at least) some of the experts are not overly concerned. I am hoping that all will turn out well. You, of course, need to do what will make you feel the most comfortable about this. It's not like we sisters don't understand how hard it is to wait!!!

Hugs,

Diane

Dorrie,

I too am in the "dense breast" club and have a breast surgeon among my list of specialists. When my rad-onc found a suspicious mass in my right breast during my radiation consult, she sent me to the surgeon who ordered an u/s. When he couldn't tell enough from the u/s, he performed an in-office needle biopsy, which came back negative.

Several years after that when I had some findings of concern on my mammo that could not be totally dispensed with by an u/s, my breast surgeon did a Mammotome biopsy, which came back negative.

I'm not familiar with the term BI-RAD-3. Is that an indicator of a strong possibility of a malignancy? If so, I would not be inclined to wait around for 4 or 6 months. Biopsies are quick, relatively painless and left me with no scars whatsoever. My mother had bc in both breasts and my EC history and dense breasts put me in a pretty high risk category for bc. In addition, I'm not a patient "watch and wait" kind of person.

Best regards,

MoeKay

My mother had bc in both breasts and my EC history and dense breasts put me in a pretty high risk category for bc.

Moekay,

You got me to thinkin'? Do 'dense' breasts in and of themselves, contribute to a higher risk of breast cancer? If so, do you know why? or are dense breasts a manifestation of high estrogen levels? And, EC's relationship to BC is because breast cancer is estrogen driven as well? Are there statistics on this?

You can pm/email me if you would like.

Dorrie...sorry, I did not mean to intrude on your post. I'll get out pronto...

Diane

Diane,

Here's a link to a site that discusses the relationship between dense breasts and breast cancer which was based on a study published in the NEJM in September 2002:

http://www.breastcancer.org/research...091902_pf.html

The take-home message for women was that it's important for women to know that increased breast density, as shown on a mammogram, may be associated with a higher risk of breast cancer, possibly warranting additional testing such as u/s or MRI scanning in addition to mammograms. The article states that this would be particularly true if you have other factors that might put you at an increaed risk for breast cancer (such as I do with my mother's bc history).

I have also read numerous articles that state that women with a history of endometrial cancer are at an increased risk for breast and colon cancer. I don't know all the details, but would suspect that there's a hormonal aspect at least to the breast-endometrial cancer connection. However, if you google these terms in combination, I'm sure you'll find more articles than you'll ever be able to read!

Take care,

MoeKay

My understanding is that as women age their breasts become naturally more dense. Several years ago a cluster of micro-calcifications were found in one breast. Even though the decision was ultimately mine both radiologist and surgeon recommended a lumpectomy to remove the area. Subsequent biopsy proved benign but for peace of mind I'm glad I had the surgery. anna

Is dense breast and fibrocystic breast the same thing? If different, I had fibrocystic breasts. It disappears, at least to some extent, after menopause. I had hyst in March '90, but then was on Premarin for 12.5 years. Mammograms were somewhat difficult to read because of fibrocystic breast. Now that I haven't been on HRT of any kind since November '02, mammograms are easier to read and my breasts feel much less "lumpy bumpy" to me than they used to.

Mary D.

Sisters,

I am so excited..I finally figured out how to cut and past. I hope this works. I just found this breast cancer site and I think it has some good information on it. I especially was interested in the data surrounding ultrasounds/mammo's and what was recommended for dense breasts. (Anna) I thought that dense breasts were more associated with youth. And, I remember vaguely being told that one of the reasons my breasts were so dense was that I had not given birth??? Hence, no breaks in my estrogen cycles.

Dorrie,
for future reference..why was the MRI so uncomfortable for you? The usual claustrophobia issues? ugh! Or, was the test particularly unpleasant in regards to taking films of your breasts?


http://www.breastcancer.realage.com/....aspx/topic/39

Hugs,

Diane