Cancer screening call back

[Oncewassmith]

Hi all sorry if this is in the wrong section (wasn't quite sure where to put it)
I have the BRCA2 gene which puts me at increased risk of breast/ovarian/pancreatic cancers - and had stage 3 breast cancer 9 years ago. So I have yearly MRIs and Mammograms; I've just had my yearly screening - and I've been called back for further investigation. Have anyone been in this position? What tests etc do they do extra, and, if you don't mind me asking what was the outcome for you?
I'm a little bit terrified to be honest (btw can not feel any real change or lumps to my breasts)

Hi- so sorry to hear you’re so worried (understandable of course!)

It may be that the image wasn’t clear and they just need to redo the mammogram. Or that there is an area they want to check out- that is likely to be an ultrasound (not uncomfortable at all) and possibly a biopsy. If they do want to do a biopsy then it won’t hurt - they will give a local anaesthetic jab first (stings a little like most jabs).

My mum had breast cancer 8 years ago and had annual mammograms for 5 years - she was recalled pretty much every time but nothing was ever found.

I hope all goes well for you

Thanks for your reply - just wanted to clarify that this is specifically due to concerns- not due to unclear images (I have those a lot but they always specify that's it due to being unclear)

Ah right! Well, I imagine it’ll probably be an ultrasound and biopsy of anything they want to check in more detail. I think some biopsies are done whilst you’re having a mammogram, depending on the location of the area in question

Thanks again for your reply - but was hoping to hear from people who had been through it themselves. (As you can see I've already had breast cancer so pretty used to the process etc)

No problem- I was letting you know what had happened to my mother on the 3/4 times she was recalled after her yearly screening. The processes/investigations were the same as when being diagnosed

I’ve just had my first yearly screening after diagnosis last year and am currently presuming that not hearing anything after 3 weeks means there’s nothing to say.

Sorry if I sounded rude - I appreciated you meant well. A three week wait in my 9 years experience if always a good sign. I had my mammogram and MRI on Thursday. But hope it all come back okay for you.

At my callback they discovered that I had a tiny aggressive tumour. It was really scary, and the worst news, but I took all the treatment offered and I'm still here 15 years later. Mammograms pick these nasties up so early. However, I was also told only 1 in 8 callbacks are cancer. I am sooo keeping everything crossed for you, and I know how scary it can be. Sending hugs.

Glad all turned out well in the end Alice

Thanks for the reassurance re timescale 😀 I hope it all turns out to be nothing for you and that you find out quickly- the waiting & not knowing is always the worst of it all I find!

@LushAlice

At my callback they discovered that I had a tiny aggressive tumour. It was really scary, and the worst news, but I took all the treatment offered and I'm still here 15 years later. Mammograms pick these nasties up so early. However, I was also told only 1 in 8 callbacks are cancer. I am sooo keeping everything crossed for you, and I know how scary it can be. Sending hugs.

Thank you for replying - sorry to ask but was your screening the over 50s mammograms or the for other reasons? So pleased it all went well for you. My first cancer was very aggressive but until now the treatment seemed to have won. Just so worried as I'm a gene carrier with previous aggressive cancer the odds aren't always in my favour.

It was because I was almost 50, so not the same as your predicament, and I appreciate that your situation is very tricky. The thing that always strikes me is how quickly the treatments progress in a few years. If I was doing it all again, I would tell my younger self to enjoy every moment and not worry - so much easier said than done! A nurse once said to me 'Don't cross bridges unless you come to them'.

I has a callback from a routine screening.

They had seen some microcalcifications - these are normal if they are scattered across the breast, but can be a concern if they are in a cluster.

I had a more detailed mammogram and an ultrasound, these can sometimes rule out concerns, but as they didn't for me, then I had a biopsy (I can tell you what that's like if you want)

Unfortunately the biopsy was inconclusive with some abnormal cells of unknown significance, full on cancer not likely but it could be DCS or some other pre-cancer. - genuinely inconclusive, as it could have also been innocent. So I had a second one done (leaving a marker behind just in case).

This showed no cancer cells, so no further treatment required . But I am on annual call back for the next 5 years.

They told me that of 1,000 women screened, 10 will get a call back. Of those 10 only 1 will need further investigation after the first mammo/ultrasound/biopsy. And even then only some of them will have a malignancy or pre-malignancy. Which isn't quite so reassuring once you're in the 10, let alone that 1, but although you can't help being anxious, it's really not time for panic stations

Ignore most of that post - I feel such a fool - I misread later posts and managed to erase from my brain that you've been through all this when you asked the screening question.

The point about being called back and it being something non-malignant, such as my aplasia of unknown significance rather than a malignancy still stands

@Ethelswith

I has a callback from a routine screening.

They had seen some microcalcifications - these are normal if they are scattered across the breast, but can be a concern if they are in a cluster.

I had a more detailed mammogram and an ultrasound, these can sometimes rule out concerns, but as they didn't for me, then I had a biopsy (I can tell you what that's like if you want)

Unfortunately the biopsy was inconclusive with some abnormal cells of unknown significance, full on cancer not likely but it could be DCS or some other pre-cancer. - genuinely inconclusive, as it could have also been innocent. So I had a second one done (leaving a marker behind just in case).

This showed no cancer cells, so no further treatment required . But I am on annual call back for the next 5 years.

They told me that of 1,000 women screened, 10 will get a call back. Of those 10 only 1 will need further investigation after the first mammo/ultrasound/biopsy. And even then only some of them will have a malignancy or pre-malignancy. Which isn't quite so reassuring once you're in the 10, let alone that 1, but although you can't help being anxious, it's really not time for panic stations

Thank you. It is an anxious time and I'm reassured that the double check are the same I've been through (I always described the punch biopsy as being attacked by a hole-punch!). I suppose my question is really niche and also vague- trying to find other under 50s BRCA2 carrier with previous cancer history that's had a callback after screening (so a tiny amount of people) but thank you for clarify the further tests

I found that asking for maximum number of top ups of local really, really helped!

First biopsy (the allegedly 'kinder' version) was worse than the second simply because I thought I could manage on just the one. I did, but the I felt far less on the second where I just wibbled.

I can see with your history that it's a whole heap more worrying, but I still think there's a reasonable chance that it's either unluckily grouped microcalcifications or some other aplasia of unknown significance.

Can you ring the unit before your appointment and ask the BCN to talk you through at they have seen so far?

Quick update - had biopsy today - not looking to hopeful but I find the results on Wednesday - so fingers crossed

Rooting for you

Quick update - it was cancer - stage 3 - bit pants really

So sorry to hear this

Sending you (no use I know)

Sorry to read that @Oncewassmith. Have you seen the cancer thread on MN? They are really friendly and knowledgable, and although I have been on the thread for a long time, there were many posters who had breast cancer. I'll try find the link

• I haven't been on the thread

Cancer support thread

So sorry to read your update

Cancer really sucks

Have they told you what treatment plan they are thinking of?

As the cancer is in the same breast as last time - the plan is to have a total mastectomy with reconstruction (I'm seeing the oncoplastics next week for a plan)

That's a lot to come to terms with. Will it be chemo beforehand, or are those the things that need discussing at next appointment?

I hope you have good people in RL to support you right now.

Find out more on Wednesday - but the hope is that as it's still small that surgery will be enough. But it does appear to be fast growing so cant be sure of anything yet.