What do all these acronyms in letter to GP confirming my diagnosis of BC mean ? Translation needed please !

Hi there’s an old post on here that gives a little bit of information, this is a copy of it.

• Wouldn't it be great if they gave you this information in plain English and explained it...
• The M5 and U5 are scores from both Mammogram and Ultrasound - It is a scale up to 5
• 1 Normal 2 benign 3 possibly benign 4 probably malignant and 5 malignant  (hence the invasive ductal comment)
• With the AX1 did they take a biopsy sample from a lymph node as AX usually means axilla (armpit)

I can’t find the T5 bit 

Hope this helps, good luck with your surgery 

Diane xx

Thanks Diane. I thought AX was lymph nodes too but don't belive they did ..just the 4 core biopsy ones. I'll ask at my booking appointment. Thank you again 

Hormone treatment is likely because the most common profile for your DCIS/invasive breast cancer combo is that it’s oestrogen positive. Grade 2 and the mix of types suggests slow growing - hence chemo is less effective, also less necessary. I’m wondering if T is CT or the 3D mammogram they do, but that’s just a guess. They’re recommending a Wide Local Excision ie lumpectomy, with sentinel lymph node biopsy - that’s the first 3 lymph nodes in the armpit, to check the cancer hasn’t escaped.

I’d say considering you have breast cancer, this is a relatively optimistic diagnosis. More information required, but currently seems manageable without heroics. Fingers crossed this is correct

Thank you Anabrock. I haven't had a CT but did have both an initial  screening mammogram whrn it was picked up hen diagnostic one so you may be right. I've only had one appointment at one stop breast clinic then with consultant week later before then surgery on 7th with lots of comments about " very sortable: so I hope you are right ! No one mentioned DCIS though but makes sense that's where it started 

Thanks again xx

There is a leaflet about pathology results which I found helpful on breast cancer now - here is link if helpful https://breastcancernow.org/information-support/publication/understanding-your-pathology-results-bcc161

it really helped me to understand all the abbreviations used in the letters sent - you can just download it and print it. They have loads of really useful info on other areas as well xx

Thank you x