Saturday, October 17, 2009 Frenchie asks

Q: MRI and diagnosis

I got the news almost 2 weeks ago that I have infiltrating to moderate in situ duct carcinoma....An MRI is now showing suspicious additional lumps in each breast. I am getting two new biopsies on Monday, and have to wait further.

I feel like the surgeon is taking his time, while I marinate in anxiety.

Is this waiting period normal ? Any advice? Life still needs to go on and get organized..Also are there statistics on the outcome that these new lumps discovered by the MRI are cancer rather than nothing.

Thank you.

Answers (2)

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PJ Hamel

10/17/09 8:03pm

Hi - Yes, waiting is hard; and it's very, very typical. Try to pursue your life as normally as possible; stay busy; talk to people; lose yourself in activity. As for suspicious lumps revealed by an MRI, MRIs are notorious for false positives - showing "suspicious" lumps that turn out to be nothing to worry about. I don't have specific statistics about how often this happens, but much more often than with mammograms. MRIs are more sensitive than mammograms - AND make more mistakes. So take heart - hopefully your diagnosis will remain what it is (though "infiltrating" and "in situ" are two different types of cancer, so I'm confused - do you have both types?) Good luck - PJH

Frenchie

10/20/09 2:18pm

thank you for your message, time, and support. Yesterday, I went through 3 biopsies further to the MRI. The radiologist said that one lump in the so far healthy breast might very well be cancer...The whole procedure went extremely poorly. One lump was very deep and there was not enough anesthesia at first...

I have a big hematoma on one breast (2 biopsies)...What a horrible procedure.

I am once again waiting with Tylenol 500...

I now that the initial biopsy is contradictory: it says In situ and also infiltrating to moderate poorly differentiated ductal carcinoma. It is stange to me that in 2 lines and an 8mn lump, alll this can be read.

I am trying to relax, but just cannot wait to hear what the near future will hold...

Phyllis Johnson

10/17/09 8:08pm

Most doctors want to get the most complete information possible to make sure that they prescribe the correct treatment. The results of this MRI could affect the course of your treatment depending on the status of the newly found tumors. I know it's horrible waiting, but it's better than finding out later that the doctor made a treatment mistake because of false assumptions. I don't know how often new lumps turn out to be cancer. I had a new lump come up during my treatment, and it turned out to be benign. Even if you knew the stats, they wouldn't tell you what your particular lumps are. I hope you soon have your treatment underway.

Q: MRI and diagnosis

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