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I don't know if anyone familiar with breast ultrasound? I got a category 3 which means "possibly abnormal" and to follow up with a doctor. This ultrasound was done by a mobile screening unit. (If you aren't familiar with these categories or have never gotten an abnormal result on a mammogram or breast ultrasound, please do not respond, thanks).
I've had breast cancer twice, so hope I am qualified to respond. A BIRADS of 3 is probably benign and has less than 2% chance of being cancer. This is a case of screenings casting a very wide net so as to be sure to catch the very few people in that group who do have cancer. Depending on what your doctor sees, you may be given the all-clear or told to come back in 4-6 months for another scan. Biopsies are rarely done right off the bat for category 3.
Both times I was diagnosed with cancer, my BIRADS were 5. That's when you worry.
I've had breast cancer twice, so hope I am qualified to respond. A BIRADS of 3 is probably benign and has less than 2% chance of being cancer. This is a case of screenings casting a very wide net so as to be sure to catch the very few people in that group who do have cancer. Depending on what your doctor sees, you may be given the all-clear or told to come back in 4-6 months for another scan. Biopsies are rarely done right off the bat for category 3.
Both times I was diagnosed with cancer, my BIRADS were 5. That's when you worry.
Thanks for the information.
I hope that I'm not in that 2% category. I have dense breast tissue and it's hard to see much on a mammogram, so I did an ultrasound this time.
I had more imaging done today and they now feel I need a biopsy. The doctor says it's about "60% sure" it is not a cancerous tumor, but she wants a biopsy to be sure. I told her, but this is a category 3. She said because I have dense breast tissue, it could be obscuring something and they can' t get a clear enough image to rule out a malignancy. They did additional imaging to try and see things today. She said the mass is dark, which is good, but not the ovoid shape they are looking for to feel confident it's not malignant.
She said "if I thought this was cancer, I'd tell you right now". But I'm still worried about it. She said worst case scenario, if it is cancer she believes I would only need a lumpectomy.
In some way I am grateful, because I didn't want them to just follow it for months and wonder if it would get bigger or change shape. I wanted a biopsy no matter what.
I had more imaging done today and they now feel I need a biopsy. The doctor says it's about "60% sure" it is not a cancerous tumor, but she wants a biopsy to be sure. I told her, but this is a category 3. She said because I have dense breast tissue, it could be obscuring something and they can' t get a clear enough image to rule out a malignancy. They did additional imaging to try and see things today. She said the mass is dark, which is good, but not the ovoid shape they are looking for to feel confident it's not malignant.
She said "if I thought this was cancer, I'd tell you right now". But I'm still worried about it. She said worst case scenario, if it is cancer she believes I would only need a lumpectomy.
In some way I am grateful, because I didn't want them to just follow it for months and wonder if it would get bigger or change shape. I wanted a biopsy no matter what.
sounds like you have a very caring doctor who is following through. I know it does no good to say "don't worry" but listen to her. She is trying to put your mind at ease. I too, had the same situation many years ago. The simple biopsy showed no cancer. In fact before they even sent the samples to the lab, they were almost sure it was nothing. They were right. keep us posted please.
Yes, I agree with the previous poster. In your case it is best to have the biopsy to know for sure one way or the other, but it is still most likely to be nothing. Will be watching for an update.
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