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Detecting cancer in women with dense breasts: MRI?
Breast Cancer | Last Active: Jun 5 7:54am | Replies (168)Comment receiving replies
Same for me. My density was a C AND I had a direct line family history if breast cancer in my medical chart. I had gotten annual mammograms thinking that was good enough until a year ago when I was diagnosed with metastatic lobular breast cancer. Now, no breasts, 6 of 8 chemo treatments under my belt and 6 weeks of radiation in the horizon. IT WAS AVOIDABLE! Nothing showed on my mammograms and even the ultrasound was too hazy to read. Because there was a physical change in my left breast, the radiologist sent me for a MRI. That breast was so full of cancer they could get clear margins to remove it. If you have a C or D density rating, do not rely on mammograms! Oddly enough, the radiologist told me he recommends an MRI only about once a year! How many women have undetected cancer because they didn’t get a MRI? We are grossly overlooked by the medical community and it’s criminal, in my opinion. The insurance companies don’t want to pay for MRIs so docs don’t often enough recommend them. Is this about our health or lining the pockets of insurance companies? It’s certainly the latter.
Replies to "Same for me. My density was a C AND I had a direct line family history..."
EXACTLY!!!!
I have ( had) “moderately” dense breast(s) and a symptom ( thank goddess) and STILL a mammo and ultrasound were normal and I was sent on my way. Still with a symptom 2 months later, I insisted on Alan MRI … boom! Not 1 but 2 tumors 3 and 4 cm, at 6 and 9 ‘click. One at 6 o’clock was occluding a blood vessel when I raised my arm ( putting on deodorant) and causing nipple/areola to lose color until I lowered my arm.
Unilateral mastectomy for IDC, ER/PR + HER 2 - stage 2, grade 2. Beneficial ONCOTYPE . On AI for one year now with tolerable and able to mitigate joint discomfort.
Now MAMMO annually and MRI annually alternating at 6 mos.
It is my opinion that once the word DENSE is in the picture ( any so called level) get an MRI!
Also, anyone with a mastectomy should IMO get MRI as it’s the ONLY way to monitor the immediate environment of the mastectomy . Also MRI picks up on nodes on both sides.
My daughters will now get the same as me .
Mammo s miss 10% of BC ‘s ! WHY are we relying on this outdated technology which IS RADIATION ☢️. MRI is not introducing radiation to the breast.
Self advocating for an MRI likely SAVED MY LIFE!
So, this is gonna be a bit complicated, but I have to know what women out there may have experienced what I am experiencing. First of all, I have PCOS, a pituitary growth (tumor) which my Mama also had, so it’s in my genes. I also have a meningioma in my brain (as well as neuropathy, arthritis throughout every joint in my body, degenerative disc and bone disease, spinal stenosis on my cervical spine (neck), muscle spasms and am suppose to be having a biopsy done of my muscles) and a few other issues. I don’t know if all this is connected or separate issues, but my labs show an autoimmune disease (they thought Lupus, but now they aren’t sure). I don’t know what density my breast tissue is, but I know they’re highly dense, enough for them to typically call me back in to do a repeat mammogram. My Mama had stage 4 metastatic breast cancer, one entire breast was a mass, and it had spread to her hips and femur. They tested her to see if it was genetic and no genetic gene was found. We were told that most women that get breast cancer have no genetic gene, it happens mostly on a random basis. So here’s one of my many issues. I am an odd patient, meaning I am often referred to as an enigma (must’ve inherited that from my Daddy). My pituitary tumor is only detectable by MRI Imaging. When they do bloodwork, my prolactin level is ALWAYS normal. It was only detected because my Mom had it and I was producing milk, so the doctor I had at the time decided to do an MRI per my request. Sure enough there it was. My labs often do not show certain issues, I need further testing when there is a suspicion to rule things out, but Drs don’t want to do the further tests because my labs are either “normal, inconclusive, or don’t match certain symptoms which should accompany such suspicions” so they scratch their heads and send me in my way saying “I’ll see you in 3 months and we will run tests again or see if you still have these symptoms.” Well, this is gross, but my pituitary hasn’t been checked for over 3 years, typically it is monitored once a year, and now I have something going on with my right breast which has my Dr “baffled” (his words). I told him my breast has some leakage, of course I have to milk it a little, and the leakage comes from a few small holes (where milk typically comes), from one hole it’s white, similar to milk, BUT, from two other holes it appears black, like dark black, but on a tissue it’s like a dark dark green, almost black. He is so confused. So everything that happens to me, and is currently going on, it a mystery. My bones hurt, my muscles spasm, my joints kill me, my nerves are damaged, I have autoimmune disease…but I don’t have autoimmune disease, my back kills me, my neck kills me, I’m severely fatigued, often feel toxic, my memory is screwed, my vision and hearing are worsening quickly, I have breast leakage, a family history of these issues, but all I am being told is “wait and see, wait and see, wait and see.” Meanwhile…here I sit, sick, full body pain, muscle’s killing me, with VERY limited mobility.
I’m so frustrated. I don’t know what to do. 🙁
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I’m so glad I found this Breast Cancer site It reassures me I’m not alone on my feelings and able to relate to our feelings and knowledge. Little comments can have so much meaning.
Right now my breasts are sore and my Dr not seeing me to July(😬) bit nervous but soonest I can get appt