Get a second opinion or calm down?

Have I got breast cancer? Appointments and waiting for test results
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Hi all,

3 weeks ago an ER doctor found bilateral pleural effusions and abnormal breast tissue in my left breast and urged me to follow up promptly with my family doctor to arrange a mammo.

My family dr was out of town for a week so I arranged a screening mammo and was immediately recalled for a diagnostic one where they did mammo and ultrasound.

Because I went for the screening mammo, the radiologist that wrote the report for the diagnostic screening didn’t know about the pleural effusions, she thought I came in through a regular screening mammo and this was captured in her final report which reads:

Patient recalled from screening mammo, abnormal left breast tissue. Localized density extending 5x7cm asymmetrically in the retroareolar left breast, no architectural distortion, discrete lesion or malignant appearing calcification. Lobulated diffuse dense breast tissue present. No definite targetable feature for biopsy. No definite correlate on ultrasound. Probably benign. Diffuse infiltrative malignancy is not excluded. Follow up with mammogram in 6 months.

I want to think this is good news but I’ve also read that there are diffuse breast cancers that are hard to see on imaging and they are the ones that can metastasize into the lungs and create pleural effusions. My family doctor doesn’t think the 2 things are related and isn’t concerned at all, she’s fine with waiting til December for more imaging.
Do you think I should advocate for more imaging now? Or am I over reacting?
Would love to hear any similar experiences.

Warmly,
LL :cherry_blossom:

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Evening lotuslaugh,

My advise if i was in your shoes, firstly arrange another appointment with your Gp upon there return from hols. Take this report with you and ask them to explained to you in more detail what the report means. Im not medically trained but i would push for further tests, if only to put your mind at ease. I feel you have niggling doubts, go with your gut.
I know i couldnt wait until December with any thoughts of cancer playing on my mind.

I wish you well, please let us know how you get on, only if you want to that is.

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Hi lotuslaugh,
I imagine you must be feeling a tad confused at the moment.
In my opinion I would say trust your gut. You are not happy with the results so far. I would agree with@ purplerose and speak to your gp again to unpick the test results and take a notebook with you or ask that you can record the conversation so that you can replay their reply when you are home.

Maybe ask one of the breast care nurses on this forum as well.

Not saying your gp won’t understand what’s written therein but as we know gp are generally trained and nurses on this forum are breast care trained. Hope I’m not offending anyone here saying as such as that’s not my intention.

I would definitely ask for a second opinion
Take care
Lynn x