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MARLENEOHAR - 29 Jun 2004 04:58 GMT

I am 41, had my first mamo last week. they re did one side because tere was a
large spot. they showed it to me, was about the size of a quarter...i redid it,
it was still there. they are having me come back in 6 months...they said
"probably just fatty tissue but since this is your first we have to make sure"
i assume the figure they will see the exact same fatty tisse there in 6
months...u guess my question is, shouldnt i go back sooner...what if it is not
that? on the other hand i assume they know what they are doing and if they
thought it was anything else, they go get it out, right? this wasnt something
tiny..it was the size of a quarter...had to be safe, right?

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Tim Jackson - 29 Jun 2004 08:29 GMT

> I am 41, had my first mamo last week. they re did one side because tere was a
> large spot. they showed it to me, was about the size of a quarter...i redid it,
[quoted text clipped - 5 lines]
> thought it was anything else, they go get it out, right? this wasnt something
> tiny..it was the size of a quarter...had to be safe, right?

Presumably if they are happy to wait six months, they do not think it is
likely to be malignant. If you have a 'density' which does not have the
general appearance of a cancer the probability is very much that it is not,
and to perform surgery in this case would be to take unnecessary risk and
expense. On the other hand if there did turn out to be cancer in there -
sometimes you find that something which started out as an ordinary benign
lump develops a core of cancer - then it would take several months before
any growth was detectable, and its state would not have changed much.
Remember that any cancer which is detected has usually been growing for
about 10 years already.

Tim Jackson

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Kathleen Langwell - 29 Jun 2004 19:51 GMT

Just a thought about the large spot they found on your first mammo. Who
was it that advised you to wait six months then have another mammo? A
technicial, rdiologist or doctor? Also, if you got a copy of the
radiologists report (which you are entitled to) it probably has a line
near the bottom that may say: Category: then give a BIRAD number from 1
to 5. One or 2 rated as benign, 3 to 4 usually suspicious suggesting
biopsy, 5; radiologist suspects malignancy and a biopsy is necessary.

I'm pretty sure all radiologists put a BIRAD number on all their
readings/mammo reports. From what you say they sounded like it did not
look suspicious but the radiologists' report will give more details.

Kathie

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