Worried ultrasound missed breast cancer

[HopeI'mWrong:P]

TL;DR: I have had 3 breast ultrasounds this year and an ultrasound on my neck lymph nodes. All clear (except benign lump proven by biopsy) but I'm still worried that the breast thickening (separate to the lump) is a type of breast cancer that's difficult to detect by ultrasound, and that the lymph nodes are swollen because the cancer has spread there.

Hi. I have had thickening in my left breast for quite a while now (a couple of years). It's the upper left, near my armpit. I then noticed my lymph nodes in the same armpit were swollen. I had 2 breast ultrasounds (one private, one NHS) and they both said everything looked normal and that the lymph nodes looked reactive (I had the Pfizer vaccine a couple of months prior).

A few months later, I noticed the lymph nodes on the left side of my neck were swollen and, most worryingly, I had a palpable node about my left collarbone. I was referred for a neck ultrasound and the radiologist said everything looked ok, including the collarbone lymph node. No biopsies were taken though. I was relieved and thought perhaps they were reacting to the flu vaccine I had 8 weeks prior.

2 months ago, I noticed a lump in my left breast. Went to the breast clinic again a month ago and an ultrasound showed a solid lump (not a cyst) which needed a biopsy. He had a quick scan of my under arm lymph nodes and said "I could see one but it looked normal". The biopsy came back as a benign fibroadenoma.

I was feeling much better. However, I have now noticed that my under arm lymph node is back up and bigger than ever. It's hard but moveable. Also, the lymph node above my collarbone is still there and hasn't gone down (it's possibly slightly bigger but I'm not sure).

I am worried in case the thickening is lobular breast cancer, which is apparently difficult to detect using ultrasound. I'm very scared that it has spread to my lymph nodes and that's the reason I can feel them now.

I'm trying to be logical. The chances of getting breast cancer at my age are 31 per 100,000 per year. Around 15% of those are lobular carcinoma, so that makes it about 5 per 100,000. Then, going off numerous studies, about 13% of those will be undetectable by ultrasound, so that brings it to about 0.7 per 100,000 per year. This means at my age I have a 0.0007% chance per year of having lobular carcinoma which will be undetectable by ultrasound. But I'm still scared.

I tell myself it's unlikely but then I can't unread all of the posts by women with my symptoms who have said they were told everything was fine after multiple ultrasounds only to be diagnosed with lobular carcinoma after finally receiveing a breast MRI (the most accurate way of detecting it). Should I request an MRI or a biopsy of the area? Or should I try to let it go? I can't tell if it's my anxiety or if I should actually push for further tests.

If you read all of that then thanks. Sorry for waffling.

[HopeI'mWrong:P]

Anyone? Sorry. I'm sat here crying. It's weird but I actually feel like I KNOW this time. Every story I'm reading from people who have been diagnosed sounds like mine. The breast tissue feels thick, the lymph nodes are enlarged, the ultrasound says it looks normal. Yet, they just knew something wasn't right. That's how I feel. I think it's already stage 4 as I have had hip pain for over 6 months. I can't cope with this.

[Catkins]

All I can say really is that health anxiety is very good at convincing you that something is wrong. Even reassurance from the medical profession, which you have had, is doubted.

I'm not a medical expert as none of us are here. But I think that you need to tackle your health anxiety. Consider medication and counselling/CBT. Perhaps talk to your GP.

[SG1977]

Sorry to hear you are feeling low, I had a docs appointment yesterday and was told all was fine and honestly the reassurance lasted for a few hours before I was back to the same point. We need to trust the professionals.

[Carys]

Can I recommend that you contact the helpline on the number given on this link.....

https://breastcancernow.org/about-us/contact-us

They are there for women who are scared, not just people who have cancer - people who are worried, who have had tests or screening and have questions. I am NOT saying that you are right about BC, infact the chances are that you are very wrong (as you've proved statistically yourself). You have a very specific chain of events here, and detailed screening, and I think it would help to actually talk it through with someone who is very knowledgeable about the finer details - often it is BC nurses themselves who take the calls on this line or people with a lot of medical knowledge. I don't think that us saying 'you should trust the professionals' is going to work for you, without you hearing some advice and information from better placed sources.

You do need to recognise here though that you are quite able to convince yourself of 'symptoms' and put two and two together to get 100. You did it only days ago with bowel cancer. I've witnessed so many people being certain that they have stage 4 BC on other forums, in all honesty they felt pain, have lumps and bumps and felt 'ill' consistent with advanced cancer, and - biopsies and screening all showed they were absolutely clear. Yes, they were absolutely clear, there was nothing there. The mind is powerful.

[StephA]

Agree with Carys. Sounds like you’ve been thoroughly checked, so I highly doubt two ultrasounds missed anything, but I understand your fear.

[HopeI'mWrong:P]

Thanks so much for your replies. I too felt really relieved after each ultrasound, but then the doubt slowly creeps back. I think if it wasn't for the supraclavicular lymph node being palpable, I'd be ok. The radiologist who did my neck ultrasound didn't seem concerned though. I told him I had read that any palpable supraclavicular lymph node is suspicious and he just shook his head and said that's not true. But he didn't know about my breast issues at the time - I wonder if he would have been suspicious if he did.

Thanks Carys. I wasn't aware of that helpline. I'm a little scared to call it in case they confirm that I probably should have had a biopsy. But it's good to know that I have the option, so thank you. I have an appointment on Monday with the GP anyway and I'm going to ask them to refer me back to the breast clinic. You're completely right though - I do catastrophise. I was convinced I had bowel cancer. In the end, I managed to have a full colonoscopy and gastroscopy. They didn't see anything worrying, but did take biopsies as they expect IBD. I haven't heard anything yet though. But now I'm worrying that the pain I have (I haven't been able to sleep in my left side for months because my right side hurts too much when I do) is from l swollen abdominal lymph nodes which are cancerous from breast cancer. To me, that seems completely plausible, but I also know it's one of many possible causes. I just can't seem to help but lump (no pun intended) every symptom together. Sorry for rambling on again - I haven't slept properly in days because of the anxiety!