Breast lump - do they always do a biopsy?

[Shudacudawuda]

Hello,
I have been referred today on the 2 week pathway for a closer look at a breast lump. The GP said I will attend a 'one stop' clinic where they will do all initial investigations at once to determine if it is or isn't cancer.
I'm just wondering what to expect - do they always do blood tests and a biopsy? Or would that depend on what the mammogram and/or ultrasound finds?
Thank you.

They don’t always biopsy. I had (still have) a lump and on the day they do a physical exam, ultrasound and mammogram. The ultrasound showed this to be an area of normal breast tissue so no biopsy was needed. I was reassured when my latest routine mammogram showed no abnormality either.

Thank you @NotALotOfUse

I had a breast lump and was seen at a one-stop clinic. I had an US and a consultation and that was it. My lump was hormonal.

If they say its a fibroadenoma, insist on a biopsy. I had a breast surgeon and radilogist tell me benign. It wasnt. Some things are obviously such as cysts etc but fibroadenomas get a biopsy for. X

Noted, thanks @Arthurnewyorkcity

I've had four. Twice I had mammogram plus ultrasound. Once I had mammogram. Final time was the full works mammogram, ultrasound and needle biopsy on the day in the clinic. Never had a blood test. None of these lumps turned out to be anything.

it depends on what they find on the day.

I didn’t have a biopsy. I saw the consultant first who confirmed the lump that I had found and he found another tiny lump in the same breast. I was told that depending on what they found they might need to do a biopsy.

I was then sent for a mammogram followed by an ultrasound. During the ultrasound they confirmed that both lumps were cysts and drained them both. I then went back to the consultant and on my merry way. I was there just under 2 hours and would recommend you take a book or magazine and there can be a lot of waiting around.

All the best OP.

They don’t do bloods. It’s usually a mammogram and an ultrasound and then they biopsy anything they see that could be concerning.

As someone who has gone through breast cancer this last year and now knowing way too much … they tend to only do a biopsy if they think it’s cancer, or unsure.

They can usually tell from mammogram / ultrasound by the shape. Smooth bump on scans is usually benign, but ‘spikes’ suggests cancer.

Biopsies are actually quite invasive, they tend to know from the mammogram and ultrasound. Good luck and most aren’t anything to worry about x

Just to add, I had two different mammograms (one 2D and then a 3D). Then I saw a Dr who put me through for ultrasound ‘in case’.

Ultrasound radiologist was quite honest and kind that looked suspicious. Then she talked me through biopsy process and I had that.

Then I went back into Dr who told me it was ‘very likely’ to be cancer, gave me MacMillan leaflets etc. I wasn’t left with any doubt but the type was confirmed 2 weeks later.

Was 2-3 hours in total. My husband had gone shopping after dropping me but radiologist suggested I bring him back in for chat at end, which is when I knew.

Thanks for all the replies ❤️

I've been 3 times, twice was for a cyst and once lumpy breast tissue. I get cysts a lot and now know what they feel like so I wait a bit longer now before seeing a GP as they usually go on there own. I only ever had examinations for the first two appointments and on the third they did an ultrasound. Where the showed me all the tiny cysts in my breasts! I believe they don't do mammograms until you're over 40 but I might be wrong. On one of the apps where it was a cyst they did offer to drain it but I declined.

I had a mammogram which showed cysts. They then did an ultrasound and drained the cysts for me, which was all fine. I hope your experience is straightforward too.

I went through this earlier in the year. I had a short examination with a nurse who drew on my breast with purple pen to show where the lump was. I then had a mammogram of both breasts and then I saw the consultant who did a thorough ultrasound scan. They were happy it was normal breast tissue and I was then discharged, no biopsy. Best of luck OP.

Hi, on the flip side doctor said to me he was 90% sure it wasn’t cancerous, he thought it was a fibroadenoma. It wasn’t. And by the time I came back for my resulds 2 weeks later had another lump. I went in had mammogram, ultrasound and biopsy initially.

so to answer your question, no they thought it was harmless but had I not had a biopsy I probably wouldn’t be here now. This was a year ago.

this isn’t true. I had a mammogram at the clinic and I am 35.

It depends on your age too. I was under 40, I had an ultrasound and the radiologist was 50/50, biopsy was done (it was cancer), the mammogram didn’t even show the lump.

They will do a mammogram under 40, but mine was more to photograph the markers they had put in from the biopsy, so under 40 I suspect it’s unlikely you’ll have a mammogram before an ultrasound, and if your ultrasound is clear maybe you wouldn’t need a mammogram at all.

Exactly the same experience for me too.