Did anyone's cancer NOT show up on Mammogram or Ultrasound?

Hello,

I'm visiting from the Thyroid Cancer message board and have a question. Did any of you find a lump that did not show up on mammogram or ultrasound but turned out to be malignant?

I found a pea size lump 2 weeks ago and went to my gyno. He also felt it and sent me for a diagnostic mammogram with ultrasound. The tech, AND the radiologist could feel it but could see nothing on the ultrasound.

I was relieved at first but now I'm wondering if I should still worry. My thyroid cancer was found as a fluke so I'm a little skeptical. Any advise is appreciated!

Hi,

Maybe they can also do a CT Scan just to be sure that there is nothing in that area. You can never be to safe.

I went for my annual routine mammogram  in December 2008 (my GP did not even know I was going) - the mammogram did not reflect anything. The radiographer who did the ultrasound being routine procedure, did the right breast then left breast and for NO reason, but an angels hand guiding him because he admitted that he never goes back to a breast, he returned to the right breast and there it was! He immediately did a needle biopsy, but I think from experience he just knew and he also informed my GP - before I was back at the office, my GP called to inform that she had already made the appointment with the surgeon that afternoon! Following my consultation with the surgeon, I had an lumpectomy in January 2009 and subsequently 31 sessions radiations. I am a very lucky girl as the radiation had no side effects on my. I am now on Arimidex for two weeks and am watching out for the side effects everybody are talking about.

 Elsabe L

Mine did not show up on mammogram or utrasounds. It showed up at Stage 4, in my bones and stomach. An mri of the breast did NOT show cancer. BUT it was breast cancer in the bones and stomach. I am now in complete remission, on Femara and Arredia. A day at a time with this stuff!! God Bless and Best wishes.

My cancer did not show up but there was a 'shadow' area that was dismissed as nothing.  Several doctors read the xrays before my gyno finally called and said that because my breast tissue was so dense, he would feel more comfortable if I had one more oncologist look at it.  He said the same thing- "probably nothing" but agreed to a biopsy.

When I arrived, they started to prep the wrong breast because there was a swollen mammory gland there.  I knew that and wasn't worried about it.  However, I INSISTED they biop the other one, right under the nipple.  They found a lump about the size of my thumbnail. Very aggressive.  I had a modified radical mastectomy with reconstruction.  Since it was also in many of the lymph nodes, they followed up with chemotherapy.  (adriomycin and cytoxin)

 I hated it.  Got very sick.  But I am well and write on the subject now.  It was 9 years ago!!

Thank you SO much for your reply. Were you able to feel a lump or was the "shadow" your first sign?

I think I may ask them to biopsy it just to be sure. I'm so glad to hear you're doing well now.

Linda

On 4/23/2009 Lindalou wrote:

Hello,

I'm visiting from the Thyroid Cancer message board and have a question. Did any of you find a lump that did not show up on mammogram or ultrasound but turned out to be malignant?

I found a pea size lump 2 weeks ago and went to my gyno. He also felt it and sent me for a diagnostic mammogram with ultrasound. The tech, AND the radiologist could feel it but could see nothing on the ultrasound.

I was relieved at first but now I'm wondering if I should still worry. My thyroid cancer was found as a fluke so I'm a little skeptical. Any advise is appreciated!

My surgeon told me after getting the lab report from my lumpectomy that my cancer was very slow growing, and that I probably had it anywhere from 3-5+ years. FYI - I had a mammography every year. I have dense breasts, so that always included a disclaimer in the report that mammography is not as sensitive in identifying problems in dense breasts. Because my older sister was diagnosed with breast cancer the year before, I insisted on a script for a sonogram. The sonogram picked up the breast cancer as it is more sensitive to lobular cancer than the mammography. They finally did see something on the mammography that was done on the same day but not as clearly identifiable as it was on the sonogram.

They can use MRI for dense breasts as well.  They can also do a needle biopsy to take some cells.  I had a 4 to 5 mm tumor (very small) that did not show up on mammo but I had microcalcifications that were encircling the tumor.  I had just been to my surgeon 6 weeks prior and he never felt the little bugger.  It turned out to be stage 1 BC which broke our from DCIS.  I had a lumpectomy, radiation and take Femara.  It has been 5 years and all is well.  The earlier it is caught the better your chances for a long productive life.

Demand an MRI - see my story below:

NORMAL
mammogram - URGENT - READ THIS

DX April 2008, 60 yrs., Right Breast - 2 Infiltrating Ductal
Carcinoma

tumors, diameters 9.5 & 3.5 mm, Nuclear grade 3, ER
& PR +,

HER negative, Lymph vascular involvement Node positive
(8/21),

Right Modified Radical Mastectomy (MRM) April 2008

 

I am 61 years old and have had at least 30+ normal
mammograms.

In fact in Jan., I had a "normal" mammogram and
ultrasound. BUT, I knew

something was wrong because I had dimpling and an inverted nipple in

one breast. I had pain in both breasts, and I had heard
that breast cancer

was not painful so I wasn't worried. Boy, was I wrong!



Because of the dimpling and inverted nipple, they did an MRI.  I was

shocked to find out that the one breast had a 4" and a 1.5" tumor -

basically, my whole breast was full of the two tumors. It was estimated

that I had the large tumor for 15-20 years. Later I was told that I had

dense, fibrous breasts and that's why all of the mammograms were normal.



Recently, I told my 40-yr old daughter to demand an MRI after her normal

mammogram and ultrasound. It was discovered that she had a 1/2" tumor!



So, if you know of anyone that has been told they have dense, fibrous

breast tissue, tell them to demand an MRI in order to get a much more

accurate exam of their breasts. This could save thousands of lives a

year!




Carolyn

I had breast cancer (Invasive Ductal Carcinoma) in both breasts two years ago. I had to have bilateral mastectomies. At first I noticed a large lump that on the mammogram showed to be just full of water, but the mammogram showed two smaller tumors in the other breasts, it was cancer. More mammograms and ultrasounds did not find any additional tumors in either breast. I had to have an MRI to make sure everything was fine, and it was then that two more tumors were seeing in the other breast. Both tumors were cancerous as well. I had dense breast tissue, so the small tumors couldn't be seen by mammograms. If you feel something is wrong, it probably is. Ask to have an MRI to make sure. I keep you in my thoughts and prayers.