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Original poster

What results can my mum expect on the day (lump in breast)?

18 replies

kwaker5 · 15/05/2014 20:00

My mum has found a lump in her breast so I am going to hospital with her on Monday for a mammogram, breast ultrasound, biopsy and needle aspiration (if indicated). What can I expect in the way of results on the day? Can they tell it is malignant before getting the biopsy results? Can they get biopsy results the same day? They have said to allow 3 hours.

I am finding it quite hard to stay positive as my mum had a mastectomy 15 years ago and I am thinking the worst now. My mum thinks last time she was told it was cancer after just a mammogram - surely not? I realise technology has moved on so is it likely we might get bad news on the day, then more details about types and stages in a week or so after the biopsy results?

Thanks

OP posts:
ShakeYourTailFeathers · 15/05/2014 20:16

I have never been given any results on the day for mammogram or ultrasound (not had the others, sorry).

Where i go the tech does the tests and then the radiographer reviews later in the day and tells my GP the results the next day.

Try and stay positive.

Whiteshoes · 15/05/2014 20:22

I've had ultrasound results there and then in the nhs, and privately had an aspirated cyst analysed within about half an hour. So, I think it will depend on the particular unit, but a lot seems possible to do on the day.

Wishing you all the best with it.

AnythingNotEverything · 15/05/2014 20:22

Where I go, the clinic is like a one stop shop where you see a consultant, a sonographer, and have FNA etc at the same visit. Last time I went the sonographer could see that what I had was a milk cyst, so I left with my result.

I've been a number if times (owner of lumpy breasts!) and haven't had to wait for a result since they changed to this one stop system.

I don't know if it's different with a mammogram though as I've not had one.

CMOTDibbler · 15/05/2014 20:23

Some clinics are 'one stop', and they will normally be able to give results on the day. If you look on the hospital website, there may be information on there

Original poster
kwaker5 · 15/05/2014 20:29

Thanks. I looked on the hospital website and it says radiographer will give their results on the day but you need to go back for biopsy results. How much can a radiographer tell? I was thinking onnly whether it's fluid or solid but can you tell quite more from the shape/spread? It could be that my mum remembers it wrongly as it was so long ago. From what I remember, she was told that it could be cancer but they would not know for certain until they got the biopsy results.

OP posts:
CMOTDibbler · 15/05/2014 20:53

It will probably be a radiologist giving the results - of course its hard to know what this clinic does, but I'd guess they are able to say things along the lines of 'Looks fine, just need final confirmation', or 'It looks like cancer, the biopsy will confirm' or 'I'm not sure either way, we'll get the biopsy results and take it from there'

kitkat1967 · 15/05/2014 20:54

Hi Kwaker - they will be able to tell a lot from the mammogram and ultrasound. In a lot of cases they will easily be able to say that it is NOT cancer. Also they can often be fairly certain it's cancer but would not confirm this without a biopsy. They will be totally honest and if a biopsy is required they will say if they think it is suspicious.
Good luck. It's not nice for you mum to go through again but even if she gets bad news she has done this before and will be able to do it again.

malteserzz · 15/05/2014 20:55

They knew from my mammogram that it was bad news, the biopsy just confirmed it. I was told it was cancer on the day but then had to wait another week for more detailed results. Best of luck to your mum

WhateverHappenedToJasonStyles · 15/05/2014 20:58

A friend of mine recently went to a one-stop shop where she had mammogram, ultrasound and biopsy in one day. She was told what the likelihood of cancer was from the mammogram and ultrasound, then it took two weeks for biopsy results appointment, from which she walked away with a treatment plan and various operations/procedures booked.

Pollywallywinkles · 16/05/2014 22:36

I've been told the results from the mammograms and ultra sound whilst at the clinic. It took a couple of weeks for the results of the core needle biopsy, but they were reasonably confident at the time that it was nothing sinister and I was told this on the day.

Spero · 16/05/2014 22:39

I had a needle biopsy and they knew immediately it was cancer as it was a very aggressive tumour, but they told me they would need me to come back a week later to be sure.

So I guess it depends; some tumours may be easily identified, others less so but you should get results in a week at the latest.

ConsiderablyBiggerBuns · 17/05/2014 00:00

Hi there, another one who was told on the day that my lumps were cancerous. I wasn't expecting it, so would suggest that your mum has someone with her, just in case. From reading other experiences on the dedicated thread, would seem quite a proportion were told on the day although had to wait for biopsy results for more information, which seems to me preferable to waiting in limbo for days, fearing the worst but unable to put any plans in place.

BackforGood · 17/05/2014 00:06

I had a two week wait for the consultant to tell me the bad news after the biopsy, but I got the impression that it was going to be bad news because they decided to fit me in for the biopsy on the same morning as the other tests.

zippyswife · 17/05/2014 08:38

Reading with interest as I have a 'one stop shop' appointment for myself on Tuesday. It says on my letter that most people get the results on the day. I have assumed that's if they don't require a biopsy and that they can clearly see it's benign from the scan? Then they get to go home with the good news that day. I'm not entirely sure. I have been twice before for lumps (over 10 years ago) and I can't remember what happened. Wishing you all the best for you and your mum.

zippyswife · 17/05/2014 08:47

I have just looked on my hospital website and it says:

'patients are able to have a clinical, radiological and cytological assessment (triple assessment) in one visit, with results available on the same day'

This suggests that results of the biopsy are also available on the same day? Maybe have a look on the website?

Spero · 17/05/2014 08:54

I think I also had a scan on the day, that will rule out anything obviously benign (I think, funny how quickly you forget) but the harder lumps will need further investigation, such as biposy.

So if it's good news they ought to be able to tell you pretty quickly. They are not going to want to leave you hanging if they think it looks bad. They need to more pretty quickly if it is bad news - I had a lumpectomy about three weeks after diagnosis and luckily it hadn't spread to lymph nodes. So they don't want to mess about.

Original poster
kwaker5 · 04/09/2014 21:23

In case anyone was wondering my mum was told on the day that it was not cancer but a benign lump after just the ultrasound/mammogram. They offered her a biopsy anyway (which she took up) and she got those results a week later (which confirmed it was benign).
Thanks for the responses

OP posts:
Ifyoubuildit · 04/09/2014 21:27

Nice to hear Grin

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