Breast clinic referral 4a 4b 4c 4d

To be totally honest I don’t know about the 4a-d.. but wanted to send you a big hug...i hate the waiting and unknown! 

There is a link about jargon buster/terminology (I’ve got it saved as a favourite  so not sure where to find it... but sure some techy person will be able to help!)

keep talking to us in here...I’m relatively new but have found it a great support....x

Thank you! I'll see if I can find that jargon buster thing. Yep, the waiting is horrendous. I saw a gp on Saturday who did the referral and have been a mess since then until tonight... I feel like maybe some kind of defence mechanism has kicked in and shut me off a bit, I feel a bit numb instead, which is preferable to the stomach churning anxiety I've been feeling lol. My appointment was booked for over 3 weeks away (via the two week system... Go figure lol) but I've managed to get an earlier one now and it's next Thursday evening so that's a relief that it's sooner rather than later x

Hi

Welcome to the online community. The anxiety is very normal, remember to -  breathe - a couple of slow deep breaths to get back to a more chilled place. Of course you will worry - we all do and I can't give you any advice that will really stop that. We always tell people to distract themselves - it doesn't take the worry away but it reduces it a bit. Some people like to have a set "worry time" then put it away. Different things work for different people. 

As far as I can tell, the Bi-RADS is a system for describing lumps after ultrasound so I'm not sure that can be what your letter means.

I think the best thing would be to post in our Ask a Nurse section - go to the experts. They aim to respond in 2 working days.

In the meantime, aim to reduce your worrying as much as you can. Avoid Googling symptoms - hard, I know - and keep reminding yourself that all the worry in the world can't change things. I know you really want an answer to those numbers, but the important thing is that you have been referred and it is being dealt with. Please be assured that should it turn out to be breast cancer (and the majority of breast clinic referrals turn out NOT to be cancer) then it is very treatable and there are lots of us who have been through treatment and are now getting on with life.

Here is a link to the abbreviations that claire-h mentioned - I can't see your numbers on there and, honestly, I'd say keep this link till you've got your results and know whether or not you need it - it's a mind-boggling list of things that won't mean much to you and may worry you more.

We are all here for you and hoping that after your appointment, you'll come and tell us you don't need to be here (in the nicest possible way)

Le us know how you get on!

R

My first  appt was 2 weeks and a day.. I lived with it! 

Make a note of the questions that you have so you don’t walk out and do the oh I forgot to ask... I put a list on my phone so I had the list with me and could easily add to it!

i was ‘lucky’ in that my work was really busy in that time so I was distracted by that... but nights were horrendous.. I went through so many scenarios etc... I’m now waiting for my chemo to start.. having had a mastectomy.  (More waiting !!!)

Thank you for the replies, I really appreciate it. I do feel from tonight that I've got more of a handle on the worrying. This is all so alien to me, I'm normally the sort of person who literally does not worry! If there's a priblem, I simply find the best solution I can and move on, that's it. I know there is no solution, no changing any of this, so it's just bouncing around in my head. I've not allowed myself to do any of the "worst case" thinking, I know from what I've read that even if it's cancer then there are so many successful treatments etc, I guess it's just that it's bouncing round my head constantly. At the weekend I couldn't wait to get to work, thinking I'd get stuck into things there and it'd distract me but for the first time in my life I couldn't do that, it was just there at the front of my mind the whole time. So strange! 

hi

just had a quick Google

"Category 4 has been subdivided into a, b, and c to indicate an increasing likelihood of malignancy from category 3 to 5. No formal percentage cancer rates have been assigned to these subdivisions."

The system of indicating the cause for concern, from 1-5, alerts those who have to conduct the scans and report them to how alert they need to be and 4 has the sub divisions of a to c or d.

This shows an awareness I wish had been present in my 2012 mammogram reporting. 

I arrived for the mammogram, my first routine one, and the nurse pursed her lips and squinted at my breasts, IF she'd noted using this system OR if in ANY Of my previous mammograms ANYONE had used this system, I wouldn't have slipped through the net and had to wait another 3 years to get an actual diagnosis. 

All cancers are much more treatable when caught early.  

I was extraordinarily lucky that my breast cancer hadn't spread during those 3 years. 

It may well not be breast cancer, it could easily be something else, see the article in the link but if it is, you will be treated quickly and effectively.

Something like 90% of breast cancer patients are cured when treated early and quickly. 

It would appear you are in good hands.

hugs

Carolyn

xxx

Thank you so much Carolyn! I found the info about birads and the UK equivalent but they all seem to be categories for after scans, this is on my gp referral so that's what I don't understand xx

Hi, can I ask if you found out what it means? I was referred yesterday, had my letter today for an appointment on Monday and it has exactly the same header as yours did. 

Thanks x

Hiya 

These numbers as mentioned by Carolyn28 are part of the BIRADS scoring system.

If this is from your GP or Breast Unit "prior" to your appointment; they are the numbers used to show why you have been placed on the 2 week pathway.  They are used to determine what actions are advised at the breast clinic .  Anything high 3 or above or looking suspicious through screening at the appointment would probably include a biopsy being taken.

I've attached an image giving a breakdown of the number 4 catergory. 4A to 4C....

Can you while you are here click on the 'Join This Group' under the groups title - You will than get the opportunity to start a new discussion should you have any specific questions or worries you need some support with

Hope this is of some help.

Fingers crossed for you, G n' J