Cluster of 5 Calcifications for Biopsy

[PennsylvaniaPeg]

I have a cluster of five (perhaps just benign calcifications) that was just detected toward the inside (cleavage area) of my left breast on Friday.   By the look of the mammogram (with my unprofessional eye), the cluster looks to be relatively close to the surface of the breast.

I am large breasted and 50 yrs of age.  My questions: 1)  what type of procedue will be used for my biopsy.?, 2) will there be dimpling or disfiguring from the biopsy?, will I be able to go right back to work the day after (office work)?  Thanks so much, and God bless you~  Peg

[bluebutterfly2222]

Thanks for sharing your good news!

Best wishes,
bb

[ncmichigan]

GREAT news, Peg! We're always happy to hear about easy biopsies and especially about benign results! You're correct on proliferative changes---the concensus is that they do increase the risk of breast cancer. There are many risk factors and depending on how many you have, your doctor can usually determine your personal risk a little better. However, that doesn't mean you'll actually get breast cancer---women with no risk factors at all can still get it. It just means you need to be vigilant with your screenings and follow up with all the recommendations of your doctor/s. You can't control the cells and tissue within your beasts, but there are some things related to lifestyle you can do that will reduce your risk. Please ask your doctor about this also and/or research it on reputable web sites like Johns Hopkins, Mayo Clinic and Sloan-Kettering.
In any case, good luck in the future and please take good care of yourself.
Hugs,
nc

[PennsylvaniaPeg]

Just wanted to post how painless my needle biopsy was!  It's really pretty amazing.  I didn't even really feel the local anesthia to the breast.  Also, I got my biopsy report back today and it was benign.  The doctor's office said that it's a type of proliferative breast disease, but I couldn't take in all of the medical jargon, and told her to send me the paperwork so that I could go snooping about the condition.  On most accounts, the internet shows that proliferative breast disease increases the chance of developing breast cancer, but I'm rebuking that in the name of Jesus!  I thank you all who have given me positive feedback throughout this mammogram finding and subsequent biopsy.  God bless each of you with a long, happy and healthy life!

[PennsylvaniaPeg]

Most definitely, I have so appreciated all of the responses and their range of experiences that are so reassuring to me.  I live just 20 min. from Hershey Med. Center, and Johns Hopkins is only an hour or so.  Certainly, if anything besides a diagnosis of benign occurs, my treatment options and decisions will unfold.  I found out that I will have a fine needle biopsy on Tues., May 4th.  I've been off of work for the past 3 days with the flu, and I hope that my hacking cough is subsided before the biopsy is to occur.  I truly covet all your good wishes and prayers for a good report, and will keep you posted.
Thanks again~

[ncmichigan]

Hi, Peg,
I'm glad you've gotten more information and feedback from others here. There have been many women here like sprhinobats who were told their masses looked like cancer, only to get a benign result. So try to remain positive as you go through the biopsy process and the wait for the results. I think most women will agree the waiting is way worse than the procedure itself. I know I thought that through each of mine.
As far as your last post, here's a quote from Dr. Susan Love, a very reputable breast cancer specialist and author:
"With some types of tumors, such as tumors of the ovary or pancreas,
it is possible for a needle to carry a malignant cell to another area.
But this is not a concern in breast cancer. Breast cancer cells do not
seem to be able to live independently unless they are biochemically
ready to do so. This means that a core biopsy - or any other type of
biopsy procedure - will not spread the cancer to other areas."

Susan Love, M.D.: Frequently Asked Questions
http://www.susanlovemd.org/faq/biopsy/biopsy_3.html

From my research, this is the concensus of opinion among breast surgeons, specialists and oncologists and the result of research at places like Johns Hopkins. Of course nothing can be 100% sure, but the only way to be 100% clear on whether a mass is cancer or not is by biopsy in some form. Not having a biopsy because of the fear of spreading the cancer is not something I'd ever consider. You don't say where you live,
but if it's near one of the finest medical centers in the world, that's a real plus.I'd certainly trust in their advice and care.
Again, all the best to you with the biopsy and hoping for benign results,
nc

[PennsylvaniaPeg]

Do you ever wonder if all of this invasiveness, punching a hole into the breast is perhaps a risk to cell spillage?  I know it's the only way to get a good sampling of the area, but cancer is only a rogue cell that starts mutating, and so if you have abnormality (whether it's calcification, cyst, or whatever the labeling is) then to have that cell broken into may cause it to migrate if disrupted, right?  I know I'm asking questions that probably can't be asnwered conclusively, I'm just shooting from the hip here.
   I thank all of you for sharing your testamonies with me.  Ironically, I wish I wasn't so large breasted.  They get in my way, make me hot and sweaty, hurt my upper back and I absolutely hate wearing bras.  If my hubby wasn't into them so much, I would've had them altered on my own a long time ago.  They def. served their purpose, as I breastfed my 3 children (now ages 19, 21 & 22) for about the first year of their life.  And I trust God for everything in my future.  Part of that future is having access to the finest medical care in the world.

[sprhinobats]

A few months ago I had my annual mammogram. I was called back a day later asking me to come in for an ultrasound. I had been told a few years ago I had a small cluster of calcifications in my right breast and when I got the call I was sure this could not be good. Well to my surprise my right side had no change but the left side there was a finding that needed a biopsy. After the biopsy the radiologist told me she thought it was cancer but that we needed to wait for the results. A few days later I was called again saying the findings did NOT come back positive but that they felt sometimes to be VERY sure I would need a lumpectomy. Two weeks later I had the surgery and waited again for 4 days for a call from the Doctor saying everything was fine no cancer! My reson for sharing all this with you is to let you and others who are going thru this type of thing, know I was sooooo surprised. I had little to no pain at all! The biopsy was a small cut that felt more like a light bruise and the surgery was just about the same. I have about a 2 inch scar. It took a day or so till I felt just fine! Really it was not as bad as I had thought it to be. The waiting on the other hand was all in my mind of "what if?" Please try not to worry too much and know everything will be as it should.
Good luck and don't worry
Sprhinobats

[bluebutterfly2222]

Hi,

They won't be trying to biopsy a specific calcification, because It's not the calcifications themselves  that are  the problem, but the fact that they may be signaling the development of some abnormailty in the area.

Here is one description of the needle aspiration biopsy:

"A fine-needle aspiration biopsy is usually done by a internist, family practitioner, pathologist, radiologist, general surgeon, or a surgeon's physician assistant.

You will need to remove all clothing above the waist and drape a paper or cloth covering around your shoulders. The biopsy will be done while you sit or lie on an examination table. Your hands may be at your sides or raised above your head (depending on which position makes it easiest to find the lump).

An injection of local anesthetic will be given to numb the area of the breast where the needle will be inserted. Once the area is numb, a needle is inserted through the skin and into the tissue to be studied. Ultrasound may be used to guide the placement of the needle during the biopsy. If the lump is a cyst, the needle will be used to collect fluid and tissue samples from it. If the lump is solid, a sample of cells is collected from it. The biopsy sample will then be sent to a lab for examination under a microscope.

When the needle is removed, pressure will be applied to the needle site to help stop the bleeding and a bandage will be applied. A fine-needle aspiration biopsy takes about 5 to 15 minutes."

You should be aware that this procedure is sometimes not adequate to fully reflect the cells in the  area in question--it can only remove a sample the size that will fit through the needle--and therefore a core biopsy or excision biopsy may be needed.

Best wishes,
bluebutterfly

[PennsylvaniaPeg]

Hi nc,

Thank you so much for your thoughtful response.  Truly it brought me to tears that you would take the time to respond.  I feel like such a baby!  My sister-in-law said that she had a needle biopsy on her breast and she didn't tell anyone:  not her husband, kids or anyone!  As soon as I was informed that there was a questionable area to look into, I fell to pieces!!  II spoke to my fam. dr this morning and she said that it will be a needle biopsy, so hopefully it won't be hyper-invasive.  I asked asked about cell spillage in the event it would be cancer.  And they didn't do an ultrasound on the area either, plus my breasts always get very lumpy right before my period, and of course, any day now I should be getting my period, so I asked about that.  I have to trust that they (med. community) knows what they're talking about.
Totally unrelated to my situation, my mother-in-law was diagnosed with breast cancer about 8 months ago, and she truly had her head in the sand about it.  From what I heard, her nipple was mushy and collapsing before she actually decided to do anything about it, and that was only at the behest of her cardiologist after wuffering a heart attack about a year ago.  Her hair is growing in nicely, and she's regaining more stamina all the time, but why is it that women will take care of everyone else, but then don't take care of themselves???
  I guess I was curious about how a fine needle biopsy is going to work if the questionable area is a "cluster".  I'm assuming they're only going to biopsy one "calcification" (if that's what it is)...otherwise, they would have to dig for more :)  haha
  Anyway, thanks so much again for your kind words~

[ncmichigan]

Hi, Peg,
Hopefully, your biopsy procedure will be easy for you. There are several types and only your surgeon can tell you which one is best for your case. Once it's scheduled, make sure you ask all the questions you have and continue to ask until you get all the answers you need. Speaking from my own experiences, none are as bad as we imagine them to be! I've had three and all were excisional biopsies in the out-patient surgery center under anesthesia. My last two required needle localization prior to the excision, because one was for a non-palpable mass and the other was for microcalcifications, so make sure you ask if that will be necessary. It sounds much scarier than it is and the staff will try to make it as easy as possible on you. Each of my recoveries were really pretty easy and the minor pain after was easily controlled. There will be bruising and more of a soreness for awhile, but that caused no problems. After the first one, I went dancing the next night! Depending on how it goes, I would think you could go back to an office job, but it would obviously be up to your surgeon. I have relatively large breasts and there is no dimpling or deformity from any of mine and I had five different areas biopsied. From what I've heard, women with small breasts may have more problems with deformity. I have three small scars (one was even used used twice as one area was biopsied again two years later) .I've used Scarzone on them and they're very light. The oldest one from '04 is barely visable now.
Of course, everyone's case is different, and everyone deals with medical procedures differently, but most women get through their biopsies pretty easily. The main thing to remember is that biopsies aren't recommended lightly by radiologists and it's the only way to 100% sure what's going on with your breast. Statistically, most end up with benign results. If a woman has been vigilant and screened appropriately, even the small percentage who end up with breast cancer diagnoses have every reason to be hopeful because most are caught at an early stage and are highly treatable. Once you know exactly which type of biopsy you'll have, please let us know because there are very knowledgable and caring women here who can give you more information if you want it.
We are all here to support you and all of us wish you an easy biopsy and benign results.
Hugs,
nc