Connect
← Return to Detecting cancer in women with dense breasts: MRI?
Discussion
Detecting cancer in women with dense breasts: MRI?
Breast Cancer | Last Active: Jun 5 7:54am | Replies (168)Comment receiving replies
I was diagnosed with Invasive Lobular Carcinoma 2 years ago. It’s a pretty familiar story in that I have dense breasts but had annual mammograms regularly. For so many years now ( I was 70 at the time of diagnosis), got the letter declaring nothing had changed and to come back in a year. The cancer didn’t show up on a mammogram or the ultrasound but they did a MRI to find my left breast was so full of cancer they couldn’t do a mastectomy at that time. It’s quite common with this type of cancer to not be seen on mammograms and it’s a slow growing cancer but it had metastasized in my skin (our largest major organ). After 6 months of taking Exemestane, the margins were good enough for surgery so they did a bilateral mastectomy. That showed it had metastasized in my lymph nodes. They removed 19 nodes, 17 of which were cancerous . They couldn’t remove any more so now J am trying to learn to live with incurable cancer.
The medical system is broken in this way. Insurance companies won’t pay for MRIs unless it’s absolutely necessary so this cancer goes undetected but when it is detected it’s usually Stage 3 or 4.
It’s seldom felt I’m a lump so so one does anything.
My daughters are now in High Risk Breast Cancer Clinics in their respective cities where they get 2 screenings a year - one mammogram and 1 MRI. If nothing else good comes of this, my daughters will have far better imaging than I did. No one ever suggested this to me but they certainly should have!
Replies to "I was diagnosed with Invasive Lobular Carcinoma 2 years ago. It’s a pretty familiar story in..."
My daughter also was advised to have mammograms and MRI annually too after my diagnosis. Like you, I’m glad she will be monitor more closely.
Your story brings back so much emotions and memories. 2016 I was diagnosed with hormonal Estrogen Breast Cancer in my left breast. I needed only a lumpectomy. I had chemotherapy and radiation which were successful!! It’s been (8 yrs) cleared ,but still worry about cancer returning to my other breast. I know, worrying isn’t going to prevent cancer from coming back, but eases my mind with my prayers…..Nancy B
Connect
I am so sorry this happened to you. I am one who also gets the letter about dense ribrous breasts and usually have a 6 moth mamo. I had my first biopsy in my early 20s. I,m 66 now but can remember this because i used to laugh at how my insurance wouldn't cover my left breast because of the biopsy. Luckly that is illegal now. My ILC was accidently found. They found a suspicious area on my rt breast and ordered an ultrasound that showed nothing so they ordered a MRI. The MRI showed the cancer in my left breast and the right suspicious area was calcifications. I am so lucky. It was small and slow growing. I was coaxed into a lumpectomy even though I wanted a DMX. At the time my MRI showed areas of concern again, so I sought out another facility to do the DMX. I didn't want to go through radiation because of the side effects. Six months after the lumpectomy I had the DMX and the biopsy found ILC in situ in my left breast and numerous areas of precancer in both breasts. I am so happy I went with my gut and fought for what I wanted. On a side note, prior to my lumpectomy I was talking with my insurance company regarding a different claim. I mentioned that "now I came down with breast cancer". He was so nice. He asked if he could talk to me as though I were his sister. Of course he could. He said I should get a double masectomy and ask for a PET scan. He has been in the business over 20 years and he either had personal experience with ILC or professional experience. I am so thankful to him because I may not have fought as hard for the DMX and who knows when the ILC in situ would have popped our and not been found by a mamogram until it was too late. Two oncologists said a yearly mamogram would have been my yearly followup. I interviewed 3 oncologists before I found one I trusted. And I am also so thankful for the radiologist who had me do all the tests that eventually found the sneaky ILC. Just remember we have to go with out gut and go elsewhere if we feel we are not getting the answers we want.