Hi all!
I am undergoing chemo at the moment after 2 WLE for grade 3 small breast tumor. This was eventually discovered after 2 years of scanning with negative mammogram, ultrasound and MRI for a bleeding nipple, only a nipple biopsy could confirme grade 2 DCIS and later led to the above. I have been told I have very dense breast tissue, something normally found in young women but I don’t fall into that category. My concern is where do I go now. If I have radiotherapy the follow up is mammogram and if that comes back as negative it will reassure me of nothing. If I opt for an invasive operation ie mastectomy I still have a dense breast left. As I understand it anyone who had breast cancer is at greater risk of developing it again, either the same breast or the other breast and dense breast tissue can also be a predictor of breast cancer.
I was wondering if anyone have any experience of 3D imaging? There as been a trial with it but no recommendation to incorporate it to the standard national screening program, early stages I suppose but if there is something out there that could help early detection I want it!!
I phoned the breast cancer care helpline but the lady I spoke did not know much about it.
Any info anyone have about 3D imaging I would be most grateful if you could share it with me and everybody else interested.
Many thanks x
Hi Tussie
I do not know much about 3D breast tomography, i suspect it may have higher radiation doses
I have screening mammograms for the past 2 cycles - normal, felt a small lump 7 weeks ago - which was not visible on mammography, but clearly seen on ultrasound - core biopsy diagnosed invasive grade 2 breast cancer 10mm. On WLE the tumour was still not visible on x-ay, and the tissue from the WLE was all high grade DCIS. With the retrospectascope this was still not vivible on the mammogram.
I needed right mastectomy because of the DCIS. As the BC and DCIS was invisible to imaging - I opted for risk reducing mastectomy to the left aswell. I could not deal with the thought of not having a robust way screening the other breast for cancer risk. If I had not felt te tiny lump - which my surgeon was not convinced about - then the whole roller coaster of the past 6 weeks could have urned out very differently
if you have dense breasts then you should ask for MRI of the breasts - which is better than mammo for DCIS and ultrasound - which better for breast cancer. both tests do not expose you to any additional radiation
hope this helps