Mammogram Question

[CeeBee2020]

Hello All,

I'm a 49 year old woman who just had my 2nd ever mammogram. The first one I had over 20 years ago while in college because of breast pain. I was told after that reading I have "lumpy" breasts and that the pain was tied to my periods. I also know my mother and two sisters also have "lumpy" breasts. Thankfully no one has ever had breast cancer. So, I'm prayerful these are just benign lumps. I wasn't feeling any pain before going in. Just wanted to get my health exams on track and go in for my annual screening.

My question is does anyone know what "breast has a mass laterally in the middle 3rd superior to the nipple" mean? This note was made concerning my left breast. The right one they state has a "lobulated mass in the middle third that is partially obscured." It's my understanding that lobulated USUALLY means benign (but obviously could mean something else).

I know I won't know truly what is going on until I have the 2nd tests but I am freaking out. This is absolutely nerve wrecking. Because of COVID-19 scheduling any medical appointments are a real nightmare. My family Dr. is upset no one from the mammogram center has called me for a follow up appt yet. We only know about the results because they were uploaded to MyChart finally by the person who read the X-ray. I know the health facilities are taxed out because of the virus but this process seems a bit cruel and thoughtless to me. Why not read the results while you're there and schedule the follow up immediately within 48-72 hours? I know I shouldn't freak out but that is easier said than done. I don't understand why one was noted as "lobulated" and the shape of the other one was not noted at all. Is there any significance to this does anyone know?

Any feedback would be appreciated. TIA.

[CHIN_C]

On mammography, the margin of a lesion can be described as circumscribed, obscured, microlobulated, indistinct, or spiculated (listed from least suspicious to most suspicious). Given your age and history of lumpy breasts, the most probable diagnoses are benign cysts and/or fibroadenomas. At this point, I would not be overly concerned. Many women get callbacks, and most of those callbacks turn out to be benign. Just take things one step at a time and be sure to return for your follow-up appointment, which will likely include at least a breast ultrasound to further characterize the masses. Good luck!

[specialmom]

Oh gosh, I hate to hear that you are called back with some findings during a routine mammogram.  When you say lumpy breasts, you mean dense breast tissue. This is not uncommon and many women develop this more and more as they get older.  I have dense breast tissue myself.  That density may be 'more' likely to hide breast cancer and the odds of breast cancer go up when someone has dense breasts but this is not cancer in itself.  Here's info on breast density.  https://www.cdc.gov/cancer/breast/basic_info/dense-breasts.htm  Now, it does say that you have a higher risk of breast cancer with dense breasts.  This means, don't miss your mammograms.  

Okay, so now to your findings.  I am sure that is scary. Normally they do another mammogram. Yes, lobulated masses typically are benign.  Did they see anything else like calcifications?  That it was partially obscured, that's not unusual with dense breasts.  Again, they normally always take a second look with either a 3D mammogram or ultrasound.  

I had suspicious calcifications and was given a Bi Rad of 5. The Bi Rad scale is what the radiologist who reads the images gives to the findings if they are abnormal. The scale is 0 to 6.  6 is definite cancer.  Needless to say, my Bi Rad of 5 was terrifying.  I went straight to a breast surgeon and a biopsy was performed.  (I did NOT have cancer, by the way).  So, please know that they do act fairly quickly typically if something is suspected cancer.  Yours likely is not. But I do understand that you are scared and nervous.  Have you had a chance to speak to your doctor yet?