Update on getting answers
I was unsure if i should update or not. Everyone has been so lovely and I feel silly for worrying now. You are all going through your journey and I've been stressed about what's most likely nothing.
Saw the surgeon yesterday. He thought that I had a good chance that this isn’t cancer as he said while malignancy might not show on mammogram or ultrasound, it's more common to. He is going to get another radiologist (perhaps two if he can) to review the report and the disc for a second opinion on them.
He was thinking about, depending on their opinion, the need to send me for other imaging or not and will consider if anything else should be done based on their expertise.
He then took out the MRI pictures and had a look at them and said it’s clearly visible that there is something in my left breast- however it could be a number of things (periductal mastitis where the ducts get infected and inflamed – that would account for the discharge or intraductal papilloma- a benign tumour that forms) and the only way to determine what it is, is to get a biopsy.
We had a lengthy discussion about how to do that as he said that normally he would locate the lump using an ultrasound and then guide the needle to it. I asked about MRI guided biopsy. He was considering sending me interstate to get that done as he said there’s about two or so places in Australia that do it (he advised that could take months to organise). His other option, he thought was to see if he can feel it and if he could feel it, then to make a decision whether he would biopsy anyway using just touch.
So up I got on the bed and he located the lump and then asked if I was okay to biopsy it right then and there. His thoughts were he could most probably get samples of the lump and then send them off to be looked at. Depending on what comes back, he’ll then decide to either a) send me for more imaging, b) consider sending me for an MRI guided biopsy, c) apply a wait and watch approach to see if the lump goes away or worsens etc or d) determine a plan if it comes back showing malignancy.
He will also still ask the other radiologists to render their professional opinion on my images.
I was a bit unsure if he would be able to get samples of the lump without being guided to the location-he said there was a small chance that could occur.
To cut an already long story short- I decided on getting the biopsy done. Dr took around 7 or more samples using a gun that sounded like when I got my ears pierced (painless at the time- not so much now - my boob feels like it’s gone a round or two with Bruce Lee). He’s confident he located the lump at least a few of those times. I have an appointment next Friday to get my results and then we’ll go from there. Dr is fairly sure it will be benign.
Thank you everyone for your support xx
Net
