I need a little information here. My mother has just found a lump on her breast and has an appointment to see her primary care physician on Monday. What I’d like to know is would it be standard for the doctor to send her for a mammogram or since it is already established that there is a painful lump, would she get an MRI or CT scan? I would just like to know what she can probably expect as they try to figure out what this lump is.
Thank you all in advance.
C
That sounds standard, from what I know (IANAD, but my MIL has BC).
Mammogram first, then needle biopsy to get some of the tumor to test for malignancy. Then, lumpectomy or mastectomy if it is malignant, along with radiation therapy and/or chemo.
If it is cancer and malignant, then they’ll also need to check lymph nodes to see if the cancer has spread.
IANAD, but I have had a “breast lump scare.” Because I am under 30 and do not have a family history of breast cancer, first we waited three months to see what it would do. When it didn’t go away or get smaller on its own, I was scheduled into the cancer center at my local hospital (University of Michigan Medical Center). They did an ultrasound (young breast tissue is dense and mamograms often can’t “see” enough through it. I am pretty sure a mammorgram is the typical procedure for an older woman.) which gave them a better sense of the shape, size, and density of the lumps.
Then they did a needle biopsy, which hurt a lot (possibly more than is typical because my lumps were extremely dense and it was difficult to take a sample).
In between these tests several different doctors came in and gave me very vigorous breast exams: a resident, an attending physician, and one supervised medical student, who was actually the gentlest. And a couple people drew on me with ball point pens. By the end of the day (all this took place in one marathon visit) everything was pretty sore.
Then they sent me home with an ice pack for my boobs, and a few days later I found out the tumors were non-cancerous. Huzzah!
It was scary being in the Cancer Center because that’s when it sunk in that maybe just maybe I was going to die young. But on the other hand all the knowledge and supportive resources are concentrated there.
My sympathies, GEORGIE. That is really scary. If it helps, it’s my impression that most lumps found are not cancerous. IANAD, YMMV.
I had a couple of scares also, small lumps found during routine mammogram. They did an ultrasound scan next, which determined the size, location and consistency. The first time, it was determined to be fluid filled. There was no treatment and the next checkup it was gone.
The second time it looked a little suspicious. I also had a needle biopsy, but was given a light anaesthesia – I think “conscious sedation” is the term. No pain at all perceived. Results negative.
Bottom line, there are a lot of possibilities depending on what the initial screening shows.
To answer your specific question, my guess is that an initial mammogram would not be at all unusual.
Ultrasound under age 35, mammogram afterwards. If ultrasound shows a mass, this may need to be biospied.
A biopsy would also be done if the mammogram shows something suspicious. Doing a CT or MRI would probably be overkill as the other two tests show most lesions.