Recalled to mammogram clinic

[wizzywizzed]

Not me but my very good friend. We both had our first mammogram within 2 days of each other and we've just got our results. I am very thankful that mine is clear but my poor friend has been asked to go back on Tuesday and she is understandably worried sick. Does anyone here have any experience of this? Is it definitely going to be bad news? I want to say something to reassure her but I've no experience of this and I've no idea why else they would ask her back unless something had shown up. I want to tell her it will be fine but I need to give her something positive to hope for. Any ideas? Thank you 🙏

Just to be clear I know obviously none of us know the outcome but I wondered if there would be another reason for a recall. Or could offer some encouragement.

Hopeful bump

Usually a recall is because they havent got a clear enough image so the result is inconclusive. Much like a smear test recall.

What exactly did the letter say?

Hi - I’m been recalled for cysts and thickening. All scary but it’s always been fine. It is worrying but fingers crossed they are just being careful.

Thanks for the the replies. I'm not sure exactly what the letter said. I did say to my friend that possibly they didn't get a good image and needed to repeat it. She's also on HRT which I found out from another thread can cause breasts to be firmer so maybe that has had an impact on the results

Did she say she was on HRT?

Breast tissue looks more dense when on HRT, so if she didn't mention it, my form had a place to say but maybe they are different, they could be a reason for recall as they wouldn't be expecting that in older women.

I was recalled and was panicking like hell, but nurse told me recalls are usually because the image isn't complete or isn't clear. She said if there's something that needed further investigation you wouldn't be called back to the mammogram clinic but would be escalated. Hope your friend is fine.

When I went for my first mammogram they told me that the call back rate is quite high for first time attendees as they have nothing to compare the scan to so any anomaly needs looking at again . They stressed that this did not mean that there would be anything wrong .

Yes, same with me. I was called back after the first time.

I work very closely with the national screening programme so can hopefully offer some reassurance!

Firstly there are two types of recall - technical recalls mean one or more of the images weren't clear enough and need to be repeated, or a recall to assessment clinic means they've seen something potentially suspicious and would like to do further tests. If it's a recall to assessment, the vast majority of women end up being given the all clear still. There are lots of things that could show up on a screening mammogram that end up being nothing to worry about - e.g. cysts, or often just glandular tissue that's overlying other tissue in such a way that it mimics a tumour, but when they take a mammogram from another angle they can see that it's nothing abnormal.

As someone else said, recall rates are higher for people being screened for the first time because there's nothing to compare with (so there might be something a bit odd-looking but it's normal for that woman, but without any previous images there's no way of knowing at that point that it's normal). Also, the U.K. is very risk averse so we recall A LOT of women to assessment, much higher rates than in other European countries. I've forgotten the figures now, but over your standard 20 year screening period you have quite a high chance of being called to assessment and there not actually being a problem.

It's probably worth adding that of course some women who are recalled do have cancer, but the whole point of the screening programme is that they're picked up earlier than they would have been otherwise so treatment is a lot easier.

Thanks to everyone who has taken the time to reply. Your answers are very reassuring that a recall does not mean one thing I.e. the worst. I suppose we're all programmed to go straight to worst case scenario. I'm not sure if she mentioned she's on hrt so it is hopefully just that. Thanks especially @spam88 for your words of advice 😉

I was recalled last time, and within the same month so was my sister and my daughter's MIL. Mine was a cyst which was drained there and then, my sister's was nothing and my daughter's MIL had a very early cancer which was removed. It's hard not to panic and go straight to worst case scenario.

I've been recalled. I know it isn't a technical recall & I have an appointment at an assessment centre. I was hoping it was just for calcifications, but tonight I noticed a dimple and then felt a lump. I've had this appointment letter for 3 days & its taken all this time for me to notice the dimple (very very slight) and the lump (which I can only feel if I move my fingers in a certain direction over a certain spot) even though I've been compulsively checking. I do routinely check my breasts but obviously not well enough :( Just preparing myself for the likelihood of fine needle aspiration or biopsy. Still have a week & a bit till my appointment which will be 3 weeks since my original mammogram. I am taking comfort in the fact that I'm part of the NHS early breast screening trial (I've just turned 48) therefor this problem whatever it may be has been picked up earlier than it would have been otherwise.

shazkiwi Hope it all goes okay. I think its very hard to check every area fully or even to find some lumps if you do. fingers crossed for you. The early screening system is really good and can catch stuff early x