Aa
1st of everything.
Hi,
Got my 1st mammo jan 20,got called back for retake,now requesting for a stereotactic biopsy. My findings are as-a group of indeterminate microcalcifications present in the upper outer quadrant of the right breast anterior third.BI-RADS 4 "suspicious abnormality".My questions are: Ive heard that a stereotactic biop hurts alot,what do you think?Also,do most microcalifications results come back benign?what are the percentages about?And if it comes back malignant,does most times has it been caught in the early stages?As you probably know,I am "TERRIFIED"!As this is my very 1st mammo,and I have to experience all of this.I have'nt been able to sleep well,n eat to,as I just found out 2 days ago.Could you PLEASE try to answer as thoroughly as possible?I thank you!!!!
Got my 1st mammo jan 20,got called back for retake,now requesting for a stereotactic biopsy. My findings are as-a group of indeterminate microcalcifications present in the upper outer quadrant of the right breast anterior third.BI-RADS 4 "suspicious abnormality".My questions are: Ive heard that a stereotactic biop hurts alot,what do you think?Also,do most microcalifications results come back benign?what are the percentages about?And if it comes back malignant,does most times has it been caught in the early stages?As you probably know,I am "TERRIFIED"!As this is my very 1st mammo,and I have to experience all of this.I have'nt been able to sleep well,n eat to,as I just found out 2 days ago.Could you PLEASE try to answer as thoroughly as possible?I thank you!!!!
You see my dear we freak out when we listen to those who love to scare others there are so many people who love to do that. I am so very happy your biopsy was benign that is great news and I hope you are now sleeping, eating well and feeling great. Lucky girl and take care of yourself, don't ever forget to have your follow up mammograms & MRI and don't forget the timing but ask your doctor if each 6 or 12 months, it is always better to make sure there is nothing weird inside your breasts.
Lucky, lucky girl and God bless you.
Lucky, lucky girl and God bless you.
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Dear Yuki1227: Microcalcifications are very fine specks of calcium that light up on a mammogram. Sometimes they can be an indication of cancer or precancer. Based on their pattern on the mammogram it gives the radiologist clues as to their cause. For instance microcalcifications that are more scattered are probably due to benign (non-cancerous) causes (such as normal wear and tear on the tissue), a “cluster” of microcalcifications may increase concern that there may be an underlying tumor. In these cases, biopsy is generally recommended. There is no way, based solely on calcifications, to predict whether this is malignant, the type of malignancy or whether a malignancy will be invasive.
There is wide variability in perception of pain with stereotactic biopsy. Most women tolerate this extremely well.
There is wide variability in perception of pain with stereotactic biopsy. Most women tolerate this extremely well.
I am so glad you read my Profile, if you read those of my friends you will see that we are all going through very difficult situations. Of course I wish you will keep me posted on your results, it will be good to know it is nothing much, you will see I am right.
Microcalcifications can not be felt or seen, when you have an MRI they will not show in the films, when you have a clinical exam the radiologist can not feel them, if you check your breast you will not feel them either. Microcalcifications can not even be seen by breast surgeons that is why they insert a titanium clip or a wire to mark the area to be biopsied, while they are doing the biopsy they usually are guided by an imaging machine to make sure they are in the right place and taking the right tissue.
Please don't cry, you will only weaken yourself and your nervous system try to rest all you can, eat well and healthy. Keep calm, do things you like, keep your mind busy and don't let anything shake you up. I have been through a lot as I have had two different primary cancers which means none was a metastasis of the other but all the same I know it is scary. I never shed a tear, my oncologist was shocked when he told me I had cancer because I did not even blink an eye he thought I was in shock but I was not and I don't know why I reacted so indifferently. I guess it is a matter of character and I have always been very strong, never the less I lost it when I posted here the first time.
Remember be strong, don't get nervous and keep me posted after your biopsy and then the results when you get them.
Take it easy, good luck and God bless you.
Microcalcifications can not be felt or seen, when you have an MRI they will not show in the films, when you have a clinical exam the radiologist can not feel them, if you check your breast you will not feel them either. Microcalcifications can not even be seen by breast surgeons that is why they insert a titanium clip or a wire to mark the area to be biopsied, while they are doing the biopsy they usually are guided by an imaging machine to make sure they are in the right place and taking the right tissue.
Please don't cry, you will only weaken yourself and your nervous system try to rest all you can, eat well and healthy. Keep calm, do things you like, keep your mind busy and don't let anything shake you up. I have been through a lot as I have had two different primary cancers which means none was a metastasis of the other but all the same I know it is scary. I never shed a tear, my oncologist was shocked when he told me I had cancer because I did not even blink an eye he thought I was in shock but I was not and I don't know why I reacted so indifferently. I guess it is a matter of character and I have always been very strong, never the less I lost it when I posted here the first time.
Remember be strong, don't get nervous and keep me posted after your biopsy and then the results when you get them.
Take it easy, good luck and God bless you.
!st of all I thank you for clarifying to me the simplest way I could understand! In your response in the beginning when I did go for my mammo,through the mail I was informed I needed to go back for more imaging due to a faint group of microcalcifications in the upper quadrant of my right breast,I went for that,and was told that in 2 days my physican would have my results.I then went on my next day off to see her,and was told that I needed to schedule n appt for a biopsy as they compared the 1st mammo to the retake n found n indeterminate group of microcalcifications persisting in the upper outer quadrant of the right breast anterior third,bi-rad 4(suspicious abnormality)-biopsy should be considered. As I rec'vd the news,I started to cry.I never thought it would amount to all of this,as far as I have checked my breasts in the shower,I have not felt any lumps at all,which I understand some are so tiny n cant be felt.Ive been feeling my breasts even now n still dont feel anything at all.I am going for a stereotactic biospy which was recommended for my situation on thursday feb 25th.Although everyone including you have stated to not worry,it is painfully hard not to,but I am trying to keep busy n do my best not to.I also went to your profile n read what you have gone through,n realize that there are so much people going through so much more than I am,so I need to turn away my fears,until I know for sure.Marylou-Thank you so much for answering my questions n can I keep you posted on the results?Also,if you know any more in the above stated can you please respond?Thank you again!!!!! you are n angel.
yuki1227
yuki1227
Hi Yuki1227:
Just in case I am not a doctor but have recently been through all the issues you mention, therefore I have the necessary information to answer your question and I am not the kind of patient who is told to do something and blindly does it, I do a lot of research and questioning.
If your 1st mammogram was on January 20th why did they ask for a retake? Did something go wrong during said mammography? Did they find something they needed to look further into? Did they give you your films and report copy of the mammogram? If not make sure you ask for them. Do you know if the radiologist recommended a biopsy?
Certain issues demand a stereotactic or surgical biopsy this depending on what the mammogram shows. I understand they have found microcalcifications in your right breast, microcalcifications are not cancerous when spread throughout your inner breast. They are like very small sand grains or dust which are calcium deposits in the breast tissue. These microcalcifications become suspicious when they are in clusters, meaning they have clogged together and form certain patterns that concern the doctors. Regarding your questions:
A stereotactic biopsy does not hurt, local anesthesia is used, you will feel some pressure on your breast for a short while and it will soon be over. I had a surgical biopsy it is a bit painful after the surgery but I was under full anesthesia so honestly I did not feel a thing while in the OR.
Most microcalsification biopsy reports return benign, if clustered the results could be different depending on the pattern. About statistics I can not say as things are changing as time goes by and microcalsifications become more common. Should your biopsy report come back malignant, which I doubt, they usually are very small malignancies grade 0 or 1 which are very early stages and easy to treat with great outcomes.
I can understand you are terrified, so was I and so are most women. The worst part is waiting after the biopsy it is around a week to get your results, try to take it easy, sleep and eat well you need your strength for general purposes. Getting weak and sleepless is not going to help you at all, if it was that bad not so many women would be having these procedures. By becoming weak you are not going to change the results, if nothing is wrong you will soon forget the issue and if in an early stage you will be out of it very quickly.
Good luck and take it easy.
Just in case I am not a doctor but have recently been through all the issues you mention, therefore I have the necessary information to answer your question and I am not the kind of patient who is told to do something and blindly does it, I do a lot of research and questioning.
If your 1st mammogram was on January 20th why did they ask for a retake? Did something go wrong during said mammography? Did they find something they needed to look further into? Did they give you your films and report copy of the mammogram? If not make sure you ask for them. Do you know if the radiologist recommended a biopsy?
Certain issues demand a stereotactic or surgical biopsy this depending on what the mammogram shows. I understand they have found microcalcifications in your right breast, microcalcifications are not cancerous when spread throughout your inner breast. They are like very small sand grains or dust which are calcium deposits in the breast tissue. These microcalcifications become suspicious when they are in clusters, meaning they have clogged together and form certain patterns that concern the doctors. Regarding your questions:
A stereotactic biopsy does not hurt, local anesthesia is used, you will feel some pressure on your breast for a short while and it will soon be over. I had a surgical biopsy it is a bit painful after the surgery but I was under full anesthesia so honestly I did not feel a thing while in the OR.
Most microcalsification biopsy reports return benign, if clustered the results could be different depending on the pattern. About statistics I can not say as things are changing as time goes by and microcalsifications become more common. Should your biopsy report come back malignant, which I doubt, they usually are very small malignancies grade 0 or 1 which are very early stages and easy to treat with great outcomes.
I can understand you are terrified, so was I and so are most women. The worst part is waiting after the biopsy it is around a week to get your results, try to take it easy, sleep and eat well you need your strength for general purposes. Getting weak and sleepless is not going to help you at all, if it was that bad not so many women would be having these procedures. By becoming weak you are not going to change the results, if nothing is wrong you will soon forget the issue and if in an early stage you will be out of it very quickly.
Good luck and take it easy.
Hi!
Thanks for your kind regards.I am so glad that I found this website,so much women who know n are going through the same thing,how interesting n informative! what a great support group!!! nc,hoping you the best well!
yuki1227
Thanks for your kind regards.I am so glad that I found this website,so much women who know n are going through the same thing,how interesting n informative! what a great support group!!! nc,hoping you the best well!
yuki1227
Yes,I will definitely go every 6 months for my mammo,a huge wake up call! I have another so called "thing" I need to take care of now,I believe I am starting pre menopause
now.For the last 2 months Ive been noticing my periods have been strange n very irregular as I was very regular before.I am 44 yrs old,n most people would say im to young to be going through this,however my mother started at 40 n was done by 41! I also have 3 sisters,no brothers.n im the youngest,well all my sisters have gone through meno already,done before 50 or threre about,so I am not out of the ordinary.All of my sisters told me it sure seems like i am goin through it now,as it is 1 of the classic 1st signs.This time however Marylou,I am not panicking as I did w my breast issue.I will go in to see my gyno soon.It just seems all of this is happening all at once,or is it coincidental? I looked into what my "fibrocystic changes" in my breast was n I seem to think its pretty much hormonal changes,which could explain part of my "premeno"start.
Just another "thing"we woman have to go through I guess! Thanks again for your input!!!! GREATLY APPRECIATED!
now.For the last 2 months Ive been noticing my periods have been strange n very irregular as I was very regular before.I am 44 yrs old,n most people would say im to young to be going through this,however my mother started at 40 n was done by 41! I also have 3 sisters,no brothers.n im the youngest,well all my sisters have gone through meno already,done before 50 or threre about,so I am not out of the ordinary.All of my sisters told me it sure seems like i am goin through it now,as it is 1 of the classic 1st signs.This time however Marylou,I am not panicking as I did w my breast issue.I will go in to see my gyno soon.It just seems all of this is happening all at once,or is it coincidental? I looked into what my "fibrocystic changes" in my breast was n I seem to think its pretty much hormonal changes,which could explain part of my "premeno"start.
Just another "thing"we woman have to go through I guess! Thanks again for your input!!!! GREATLY APPRECIATED!
Hi!
Got great news today! my biopsy came back benign.The pathologists report was fibrocystic changes with microcalcifications. Marylou,u were so right.After you replied,I was a little at eased knowing that someone who have been through so much could tell me in simple talk what was happening to myself. I thank you again,as u r my angel!
yuki1227
Got great news today! my biopsy came back benign.The pathologists report was fibrocystic changes with microcalcifications. Marylou,u were so right.After you replied,I was a little at eased knowing that someone who have been through so much could tell me in simple talk what was happening to myself. I thank you again,as u r my angel!
yuki1227
Hi Marylou,
Just got my stereotactic biopsy done today,I was scared like heck but of course no choice but to have it done.I must say,it was'nt at all what I imagned it to be painful,i'd say it was more uncomfortable than painful,and even at that not out of the ordinary.My results will be ready in 2-3 working days at my docs.I was quite amazed when she showed me where the concern was,it was so small that I woouldve never been able to see it had they not have circled it,to me it looked pretty normal,but I trust in them of course.Now its the waiting game of the outcome,but im ready to know and feel confident.I have kept in my mind what you have told me,and that keeps me stonger even when i feel down.thanks again for your stong n positive advice!! I will keep you posted when my results come in.
yuki1227
Just got my stereotactic biopsy done today,I was scared like heck but of course no choice but to have it done.I must say,it was'nt at all what I imagned it to be painful,i'd say it was more uncomfortable than painful,and even at that not out of the ordinary.My results will be ready in 2-3 working days at my docs.I was quite amazed when she showed me where the concern was,it was so small that I woouldve never been able to see it had they not have circled it,to me it looked pretty normal,but I trust in them of course.Now its the waiting game of the outcome,but im ready to know and feel confident.I have kept in my mind what you have told me,and that keeps me stonger even when i feel down.thanks again for your stong n positive advice!! I will keep you posted when my results come in.
yuki1227
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