Expert: Claes-Gustaf Nordquist, M.D. - 7/13/2007

Question
First a little background, I believe I have contacted you before.
About a month ago I found something that worried me in my left breast, I made an appt. at the local health department where I get my yearly phyisical, the Nurse there did not find what I had felt but felt I did have some thickening, this is what she wrote in a refferel to another place :

"A thickened area L upper outer quandrant, Please evaluate"

Today I had the "evaluation"  I was prepared for them to not find a thing, tell me I was fine and send me on my way, I didn't quite get that.
She told me it probably wasn't anything but felt I should go ahead and follow it up with a sonogram on Monday.  This is what she wrote on that referral:

nodularity L breast uoq check axillary R/C cysts (I believe it is R/C, is may be R/O)

I am very concerned, everyone keeps saying it is probably  nothing, but then why more test?  What is nodularity?  Is that bad? What will a sonogram tell me? I am 28, thanks.

Answer
Dear Marie, at your age (28) the risk of breast cancer is very low, but it is not 0. So I can not guarantee any outcome or promise you that it is not cancer but I find it rather unlikely. Well since they have found something - even if the cancer risk is low - they have to examine it further to try to find out what it is. I would prefer though that your upcoming examination also included 1. Mammography, 2. MRI breast scans and 3. A biopsy of what has been found - can be done as a needle biopsy to make it easy for you. Only if the result of that would be unclear would a surgical biopsy be necessary. If all this was done we would be rather sure to find out what this is and be sure of it!