I had an abnormal mammogram in Dec and did an ultrasound as follow up which came back as a Bi-Rads category 5; 95% certainty of malignancy. I had already prepared myself that I had cancer and started researching treatment options etc. Well I got my biopsy results today and it states that there are a number of benign findings going on; fibroadenomatoid change, usual ductal hyperplasia, columnar cell change and adenosis. While I want to take the positive news, it is so out of line with the imaging findings that I feel like I need a second pathology opinion for peace of mind. So I’m curious if anyone else had a benign result come back from category 5 imaging and whether they felt comfortable with that diagnosis or anyone was able to send their biopsy results to a second pathology lab?
Welcome to the forums @danski
I can understand your confusion at what seems to be a mismatch between the scan and the diagnosis.
I wonder if contacting the nurses on here would help you?
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They can perhaps advise you on what your next steps should be
I was just wondering if you got a second opinion? I have very similar results and not sure if I should peruse or consider myself very lucky.
Hi. I did. I got the pathology repeated and it came back the same. I also had the pathologist and radiologist discuss and they came to the conclusion that the imaging and pathology could be deemed concordant (i.e. that the imaging could be explained by the pathology). I got a referral to a breast surgeon and they gave me two option 1) remove the lump with a surgical excision and repeat the pathology or 2) get a MRI to further characterise the lump. I opted for the latter for now and I have that scheduled for Friday. If it doesn’t look like cancer with the contrast, I will choose to monitor it with regular scans for now. If they had been willing to a hidden scar I might have opted to take it out, but they refused to do it as a biopsy. I have considered getting a second opinion on that depending on what comes back on the MRI. I would definitely get a MRI if you didn’t have one already and get your pathology repeated if you can. Also get the radiologist to confirm that they definitely got the most suspicious part of the lump and definitely got enough sample. Someone has to be in the 5% lucky group though!
Thank you for the update. Good luck with the MRI. I will definitely be requesting a second opinion or further testing as well.
I was told at my second screening that my lump was almost definitely cancer - which in fact in turned out to be. I’m not sure what BIRADS score it would have been given. However it was the BCN that gave me that news and she said it looked worrying and that they thought it was a tiny cancer . But she also said " I apologize to you in advance if it actually turns out to be one of the many rare benign breast conditions we occasionally see '. I guess in my case all the common ones had been eliminated by screening but there was still a small chance it might not be. I doubt she would have said that had that situation not occurred already so there is obviously a 5% or some % chance at least that it can come back as negative. I’ve also seen posts on here from worried ladies who have been told there’s a good chance that it’s cancer and then they either report that it wasn’t or simply don’t come back to the site. The professionals try to prepare you for bad news - in my case I had seen people be given leaflets about different breast conditions and they all left the clinic before me looking relieved and I was still there and hadn’t been given leaflets . The only two other women who were still there with me at the end were both crying - we all knew anyway that something wasn’t right so they have to give presumptive results sometimes. They are not allowed to give false hope as I understand it.
It could be that you’re one of the few % that eventually come back negative . I understand your worry and I think it’s good that you got a second opinion . I hope your MRI confirms this . Xx
Dr called back today. My option was to have the lump surgically removed or an MRI. I am choosing the MRI first.
I hope that you get the confirmation that you need from it . Xx