Annual Checkup Tests

Your experience for monitoring is similar to mine. I have very dense breast and was diagnosed with ER+ breast cancer. Treatment was a lumpectomy, chemo and radiation. I took AI for awhile and stopped due to side effects. I have only had ultrasounds to check suspicious areas or biopsy. Every 6 months I have a mammograms and MRI. I do not have ultrasound as part of ongoing monitoring. I would think an ultra sound of both breast would take hours. I have never had my estrogen level checked in blood test, and no dr has suggested.

At first the dr was just going to do routine mammograms and I asked to also do MRI due to dense breast.

I am comfortable with this monitoring plan.

Laurie

@mjay
To add to Laurie's very complete response, the reason why most oncologists don't test for estrogen levels (and other biomarkers like testosterone, leptin, and inflammatory proteins) is that they change from day to day, even without our ovaries. Apparently, the aromatase enzyme is produced in our extra fat cells, and it converts to estradiol (estrogen). The AI (aromatase inhibitor) which you are taking is designed to block that conversion. These extra (total body fat) fat cells also are responsible for long-term, low grade inflammation in our bodies, and that, too, is linked to a higher risk for breast cancer.

mjay
This was my experience: I also have very dense breasts. I had a 3D mammogram and was told that everything was normal. Two months later I felt what was determined to be a 2 cm nodule in my breast. I was told that I had scar tissue from a previous benign tumor surgery. I did not believe it since my surgery was over 20 years prior. I got a hold of my primary care doctor and relayed my concerns and luckily she approved my getting an ultrasound. I had a rare low grade adeno squamous metaplastic carcinoma tumor that was difficult to identify on mammograms and was only viewed on an ultrasound. Even my local hospital had trouble identifying the tumor and had to send the tumor specimen to Stanford.

Do you think maybe you should insist on an ultrasound?
katrina123

Thanks for your input. I will request at my next checkup.

Same story I am 6 months post surgery and 2 months post radiation my oncologist said med dr don’t do estrogen levels
Maybe a naturopath might but self pay

That makes sense, although I'm very underweight and was for a couple years prior to finding the lump so not sure what that means for my "fat cells"! -:)

I had breast cancer in 2017, I had a lumpectomy and radiation. No chemo. I had my yearly mammogram last week, and I've been called back for further imaging. Here is part of the test result. "indeterminate microcalcifications, B-RAD-0, Scattered areas of fibroglandular density." Does anyone have any information about what these findings might indicate? I'm very nervous.

@sparklegram
B-rad or Bi-RAD is the staging of mammograms. Your Bi-RAD-0 is a good sign meaning they did not find actual cancer, but there is an area they want to look at again, it wasn't clear enough. It was explained to me that after breast surgery or radiation, it is common to have "fat necrosis" where the fatty breast tissue is damaged, but it is not cancerous. I have had to have extra mammograms due to that. So please don't get too worried, but be vigilant. Sometimes the radiologist will follow up with an ultrasound. My radiologist took me aside to go explain all of this and helped me through it. And if you did not have that opportunity, please talk with your oncologist who an explain it better.

THANK YOU, TRIXIE!!!!

I had my annual yesterday and it was not clear. I have to go back for an ultrasound.... scared, but hoping for scar tissue. I cant do this all again.