AboutClaes-Gustaf Nordquist, M.D. Expertise I`m a doctor of medicine and a specialist in radiation therapy and medical oncology. I have long experience in diagnostics and treatment of breast tumours.
Experience I'm a Doctor of Medicine. Licensed/certified physician and surgeon and specialist in Medical Oncology and Radiation therapy in Sweden, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and the European Union. Background in Radiation Therapy, Medical Oncology, Radiation Protection, Nuclear Medicine, Diagnostic Radiology, Gynecological Oncology, Clinical Pathology, Clinical Cytology,Hematology and Internal Medicine. M.D. from the faculty of medicine, Royal Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden. Have also been an exchange student at the Hebrew University, Hadassah Medical School, Jerusalem Israel. Former medical consultant, Swedish National Board of Radiation Protection. Former Police Surgeon and Medical Examiner, Stockholm Police Department. Former Chief Medical Officer, The Royal Guards, The Royal Horse Guards and the Royal Household Brigade, Royal Swedish Army Medical Corps. Now in private practice in Stockholm, Sweden.
Question QUESTION: After being diagnosed with an intraductal papilloma, I was told it would need to be surgically removed because it might be cancerous. Do you have any statistics as to how likely it is to be cancer? I have heard from as low as 5% to as high as 35%, which is a pretty big difference. Just wondering how necessary and urgent the surgery really is. Thank you.
ANSWER: To be able to assess that in any way I need ALL the information on which this "diagnosis" - or rather suspicion - was based. The whole matter will be too uncertain otherwise. If you are not able to do that I must say that you should probably follow the advice to be on the safe side.
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QUESTION: I was seen on a mammogram, then on ultrasound and then confirmed with a core biopsy. The core biopsy did not show cancer or irregular cells, but the papilloma has been present for at least 3 years, when my very first mammogram was done. So it seems there's no way to know how long it has actually been there. It is about 1 cm in size. I don't know if that helps, but it is all the information they gave me. Thank you.
Answer Well a papilloma - if confirmed by the biopsy - is not malignant. But a papilloma can block milk ducts increasing risks of infections and inflammations there. So it is not just a matter of cancer or no cancer. That is however outside my area of expertise here and should be discussed with a surgeon.