Expert: Claes-Gustaf Nordquist, M.D. - 6/8/2011

Question
Hi, I have been having mammo's each year for 4 years now, I am 44 and have a family history of breast cancer. I have had the blood test for genetic's and that came back negative. I have very very dense breast tissue,and have for the past 3 years always had a US along with the mammo. I had 2 years ago a MRI that stated the same as all the other reports that I have very dense tissue with multiple cysts. I was sent for a MRI last week, and after finding a new lump in my left breast that was never there before. The report states that there is a suspicious finding in the upper outer quadrant of the left breast with a BI-Rads 4.It also says that there is a focal area of asymmetric geographic enhancement in that same area measuring 1.5 x1.1 cm. I saw a breast Dr. today and she did a US in her office and told me I am going to need to have a Diagnostic Mammo and US at a imaging center. She said that will tell us more. My question is if the Mammo's and US always come back with the same thing dense tissue multi cysts, what will this time show differently. Should I have a biopsy done instead? I am worried because a few people that I know have been told similar and waited only to find out a year later they have cancer and that it could have been detected sooner. Any info you might have would be greatly appreciated. Thank you for you time.

Answer
In my opinion you SHOULD have biopsies of these lesions soonest! Easiest & simplest as ultrasound or MRI guided needle biopsies! But you should also have the mammography. MRI has a tendency of finding more cancer suspect lesions than there are in reality but we do not know in advance if that is the case here or not so biopsies are indeed necessary! Good luck!



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