Hi everyone,
10 days ago I had a core needle biopsy and I am now anxiously waiting for my results.
I took myself off to the GP after the area of thickening that I had for years suddenly developed a puckering/ dent on the skin.
When I was 38, I was diagnosed with a fibrocystic lump and changes by the same clinic in Jan 2020, but the same lumpy thickened area has been growing a small 2cm mass which they confirmed by mammogram and US.
I just had a feeling something was wrong and wish I’d got this checked out ages ago.
They were very thorough with the ultrasound and took ages scanning both breasts, finding a couple of other cysts and said no suspicious nodes.
The consultant did not say what she thought it was, but when I asked ‘what else could it be but cancer’, she didn’t have an answer and said I did the right thing by getting it checked out as soon as the dent appeared.
I don’t know if it’s the right thing to do but I have been preparing myself for bad news.
This forum has really helped take the anxious edge of things as I’m reading a lot of positive stories. I do have right shoulder ache but I am trying not to go down a rabbit hole of googling this, it is difficult though as I am feeling every ache and pain.
I also have a very sore boob after the biopsy, it is still black and blue. Is it normal for it to feel very lumpy?
I am hoping to get a call in the next couple of days with an appointment for my results. xx
Hi @zazzle03
Welcome to the forum, and sorry you are having such a difficult time. Everyone on here will say the same when it comes to waiting for results and how truely awful and stressful it is. There is a lot of support on here, ask questions, let off some steam or your worries. Whatever you feel helps.
It’s very difficult for medical teams to know if lumps and bumps are cancerous, hence they need to take the biopsy to be certain. My biopsy bruised immediately and the left side of my breast and armpit (the size of my hand) was black and purple, and it stayed like that 6 weeks. It was still bruised when I had my first surgery. I think it’s a bit hit and miss how bad it bruises. I remember the nurse saying something along those lines to reassure me at time.
When you get your result, you will know for sure if it’s all clear or not. You may find this difficult to believe right now, since you are at the horrible waiting stage, but many of us find the result helps lift some of the stress and if the result is cancer, the the mind starts to focus on getting a solution. And there are lots of solutions and targeted medicines - try to hold onto that thought. And of course, it may be non cancerous, in which case you can relax knowing it has been checked.
I hope it all works out well for you x
Thank you so much for your reply.
I haven’t told anyone but my husband and sister. I have read so many times on here that you feel better once you know exactly what is happening and you have a plan, so I am hoping I will feel the same.
I am usually such a logical minded person but this is really messing with my brain.
I am glad my sore bruised up boob is normal, it seems to be hurting more today than last week.
I am going to out my phone down now and try to get some sleep, but I’ll update when I know more. X
If you think your breast is getting sorer or it’s still worrying, you can ring the breast nurses (either at your hospital or with Breast Cancer Now). They won’t mind and they are so helpful x
I got my results and they confirmed it is cancer. Er+ Pr+ and her2 negative, grade 2.
It is roughly 2cm from what they saw on the mammo (the ultrasound did show it as being smaller), but they now need to do a breast MRI as my breasts are dense, and then they can make a plan.
I do weirdly feel okay at the moment, considering I am still waiting for more tests and answers.
Hi Zazzle03
Sorry to hear they have confirmed cancer but good to hear you are feeing ok. I think the worst bit is waiting to hear the C word from then on I found it more manageable. I was diagnosed end Nov, 1.5cm Er+ Pr+ but Her2 was borderline. I also then had MRI due to dense breasts. Ive since had lumpectomy and sentinel lymph nodes removed, the surgery/recovery was not as bad as I was expecting.
Ive since had post op - clear margins, lymph nodes clear and confirmed Her2 -ve so no chemo just radiotherapy and endocrine therapy, it is an emotional roller coaster and emotionally exhausting but you will get through this and although I don’t post often I have found support and information from this forum very useful.
Take care x
Hi,
Thank you so much for replying 
Very similar to myself then! I’m glad to hear your surgery went well and you have recovered well. Did you realise your breasts were dense before you were diagnosed?
It’s just the waiting about that is stressful. MRI is early next week, but what happens if they find something else they need to biopsy and I have to wait again? I’m worried about this as my breast feels so lumpy, I can’t trust that’s there’s only one lump in there even though they did mammo and ultrasound. I think this is the anxiety playing havoc with my brain, but I can’t help it.
I am trying to keep busy and proactive by researching good diets, etc. All I can do really just to try and help myself on this journey. x
No I didn’t know I had lumpy breasts and yes mine are lumpy too, I actually went to the GP about a lump which turned out to be normal breast tissue but in having further investigations they found 2 areas of concern. They biopsied both and one was cancer and this lump was unpalpable by consultants at 2 different hospitals. Unfortunately it is a waiting game, after that I was convinced that more would be picked up by MRI but thankfully not. Have you got a date for MRI yet?
I’m now waiting 2 weeks for first appointment at oncology clinic to find out about further treatment, they can’t even start me on hormone therapy yet as I had to have blood test to confirm my menopause status. Hang on in there, you will get through this, we are all behind you x
Hi @zazzle03
I’m sorry you have had a diagnosis. Like @mandyo I went for a lump which turned out to be nothing but cancer was found in my other boob. Mine was very similar 1.7cm Grade 2 ER+/HER- (plus some bonus Grade 1s and DCIS after surgery results). I had an MRI due to dense breasts too (my surgeon said I had “tricky breasts”!) and it did find another area of concern which then had to be tested. Then the dreaded wait for results, MDT again, then there was disagreement, expert opinion sought, back to MDT… It’s a really difficult time, and things may come up which will change the plan and timescales. But, please try and remember that even if MRI does throw something up it is best that you have been thoroughly checked now and everything found so it can all be dealt with if needed.
On the positive, this waiting part you are in now is the worst bit by far. Things do get easier and for me everything else after that time was a breeze in comparison. I bounced back quickly to my normal life and am now possibly the happiest and healthiest I ever have been. I thought a cancer diagnosis meant life could never be the same again but turns out it was simply a bump in the road, a scary one admittedly, but a bump nonetheless.
I hope everything works out well for you too. x
Thank you, fingers crossed you’ll get started on your hormone treatment soon.
I had lumpy breasts for ages as I was initially told they were fibrocystic glandular tissue but this small area was hiding in there. What took me to the GP though was the indentation else I probably wouldn’t have gone! Scary!
Are you perimenopausal? I suppose it all makes a difference to what hormone treatment they offer you. x
Thank you for the reassurance, I really feel all the lovely ladies on this forum have helped me get my head around the diagnosis as I have read so much useful information on here, and I went into my results appointment full of questions!
I am so pleased to hear that you’ve come out the other end and that your treatment went well. I can’t think past the next two weeks at the moment.
How long did you wait from referral to surgery? x
I had surgery about 7 weeks after I was diagnosed. It was initially scheduled for two weeks but due to the stuff above it was rescheduled twice. Although it was really hard at the time, with hindsight I feel reassured my team were being thorough. x
Yes I guess I am still perimenopausal. Every time I think Ive had my last period, and I’m sure Ive gone over the 12 month mark before, I get another small bleed. My last one was beginning of December!! I’m making sure I keep note now and am glad the blood tests have been done.
I’m glad you went to the GP and didn’t just leave it, now you can get it treated x
I’m nearly 44 and not really had any signs of perimenopause. I have had the mirena coil though for the last 5 years (got it removed yesterday), so maybe this has masked symptoms.
I also had my breast mri yesterday. Weirdly it was quite relaxing, I’d had a busy day at work so I just laid there and rested for a bit.
Fingers crossed I won’t be waiting too long for those results. x
Keeping everything crossed for MRI results xx
Hi ladies,
I hope you are all well?
So a quick update. Just had my results appointment this morning, and the breast MRI confirms the same 2cm size as what the ultrasound shows which is good news. No other areas of concern in there which is what I was worried about. I even had a bad dream about the results the other night!
Plan is for surgery within the next 3-4 weeks and then RT, but there may be a need for chemo they did warn me, it just depends on the tumour histology results and maybe because of my age.
If I try and prepare myself for chemo then anything less will be a bonus. This seems to be my mantra at the moment!
How is everything going with everyone else? x
That’s great news they didn’t find anything else on the MRI, fingers crossed all goes well for surgery and you get good results and that you won’t need chemo x
I had my first oncology appointment, was hoping to move forward with RT and hormone therapy but RT is on hold awaiting results of genetic testing and they’ve done me a 2ww gynae referral for post menopausal bleeding so I have not started hormone therapy yet either. Back in the waiting game!!
These periods of waiting are the worst! Does it make a difference to what type hormone treatment you’ll receive if you have post menopausal bleeding? Or are they referring you for investigations?
There’s so many things you have to factor in that you’re not even aware of when you’re first diagnosed! x
Referring for investigations and to confirm if I am post menopausal. I have another oncology appointment on 24th, hopefully I will have genetics back by then. We may just start on tamoxifen and switch to letrozole in 1-2 years, hopefully all will be sorted soon and I can get on with the rest of my treatment.