other half pre-invasive breast cancer - MRI needed?

My wife found a lump on her left breast which got checked and was done US on the 9th of September. 18mm lump found, they did core biopsy but both sonographer and nurse told it didn't look too worrying (checked also lymph nodes which looked clear at US). After 2 weeks we got called back and we spoke to the surgeon - my wife has a papillary lesion with some cells that are suggestive of pre-invasive breast cancer. We've been told they needed to do more checks on the sample but anyway they will need to take the lump out regardless. Then she went for another US of both breasts where right breast looked fine and left breast was hard to see due to a hematoma because of the biopsy, plus a mammogram and a 3d mammogram. We heard back today and they told us that they couldn't tell anything more from the biopsy, however they'd like to do a MRI since both US and Mammogram weren't extremely clear (my wife is 38 and has very dense breast). We're going for another US in 2 days for some small lumps she has found after diagnosis (doctor mentioned could be lipomas/cysts/lymphnodes but better to do a US) and then we will be called for a MRI in 7-10 days.

What I'm trying to understand is that for them to say it's pre-invasive, could we expect a bad outcome from the MRI as in it's something more widespread?

Appreciate we need to wait for the exams but it's a lot and while we're taking it lightheartedly (both doctor and US staff said we caught it quite early!) I don't know what to expect. Any previous experience sharing would be highly appreciated. Thanks a lot everybody. 

  • Hi Worriedhusbandsurrey

    I was diagnosed with bilateral DCIS in 2018, I also have dense breasts so was lucky that the mammogram picked up the calcifications. I should have been given an MRI scan as is the protocol when pre-cancer cells are detected. Without an MRI I had to make a decision on the breast surgery options based on the DCIS diagnosis.

    Postoperative pathology results showed invasive ductal tumours and invasive lobular tumours. If I had known that pre-op I had invasive tumours I may have opted for more radical surgery.

    So it's good that your wife's medical team are being very thorough. The breast MRI is nothing to worry about, although it can pick up things that are not cancerous but would need to be checked out regardless.

    An 18mm lump is small and IF there is cancer in that 18mm lump then it would be tiny and caught very early.

    It's a pain waiting around for tests etc so try and keep busy. 

    Fingers crossed for a good outcome and please come back and let us know how your wife gets on.

     

     

  • Thanks a lot Magpiemaggie and apologies for the late reply!

     

    We had US last week - 2 lumps out of 3 (neck and abdomen) are fatty tissue which is a good news. The radiologist wasn't too sure about the hard one in the chest but instead of doing biopsy decided to wait for the MRI, which my wife did today. Results should be going to her surgeon on Monday, with the MDT meeting on Tuesday. My wife was a bit worried about the MRI itself - also the fact our little one school is full of COVID cases didn't help but we're taking him out for a few days before half term having informed the headmistress. She's mostly relieved now.

    We received in the meantime the transcript from our last surgeon appointment (I'm really pleased with this, it's great to have things in writing as it's so easy to get lost in details!), and it says biopsy looks B4/B5a. Immunos results not clear so recommending MRI but most likely looks like DCIS P4.
     

    Does anybody know that P4 stands for?

    We should go and see the surgeon hopefully next week. Fingers crossed!