Group of Microcalcifications-Benign

[IdahoGal]

I am 40 years old and finally went in for my first mammogram to start my baseline.  After 3 days, they called me back in to take more images on some calcifications that they have found.  They took more digital images and found a grouping of microcalcification, then sent me on for an ultra sound which showed nothing.  These microcalcifications are close to the wall of my chest and they are afraid of puncturing my lung if a steriotactic biopsy is done.  So, my Doc wants me to have a surgical biopsyinstead (which is fine).  I got the radiologist report today and it shows that this is classified as BIRAD 4.  So I would like to know if anyone has ever had a biopsy result from a birad 4 (suspicous) mammo report grouping of microcalcifications that were benign?   I am so scared and freaked out that this may be cancer, I can not keep my head clear to make it through the day.  Any information would be appreciated!  Thank you all and God Bless!

Lisa





This discussion is related to micro calcifications found in both breasts during Mammogram.

[bluebutterfly2222]

Welcome to MedHelp and the BC Community.

Just wanted to let you know that you'll be more likely to get replies if you state your question in your own, new post . When you add it to the bottom of an old thread, people will be likely to overlook it, assuming you are just adding another reply to the other person's question.

Regards...

[sleeplessinseattle3]

I am 41, got my first mammogram last year. Never had implants, car accident where the airbag deployed, and I have three children. I had microcalcifications in one breast by the wall and under the nipple. They did a stereo on the area by the nipple it came out benign. Went back for my 6 month check up on that breast, the Dr. requested a magnified film, nurse had me wait in the waiting room then came and told me there was an area they were going to watch, "nothing too scary" but to come back in 6 months for my annual. I did, new nurse, when I asked if she was going to do a magnified film she said she didn't think so unless it was requested. I asked if she could show my where on my films from 6 months ago there was a concern, she didn't know because it wasn't marked. She said she would check with Dr. about the magnified film and came back stating "looks stable". Then she told me where to change and exit. I don't even know when I am suppose to go back, 6 months, a year? The reminder letter for the appointment even stated "exam will enable us to be certain that the findings of your last mammogram and/or ultrasound are benign". Help!

[Friendtoo]

"Can somebody give me some advice...please? My girlfriend (40) had her annual mammogram and they found calcifications. ... Question for you women out there: What kinds of things should I be doing and saying to support her more? "

I've gone through this scare several times. And believe me it's a scare. I think everyone is different - but here's the stuff that didn't help: "I know that you're going to be okay", "I'm sure you're fine", "please don't worry." These don't work because they minimize my feelings, and that feels dismissive. That's not what was meant, but it is what I hear when my loved one says these things.

Stuff that works: Let me vent, say nothing, but give me a big bearhug. Let me vent, really listen to me, then say I know this is really scary, I hope you know I love you. See the difference? The first set of statements dismisses me, the second set is supportive because it lets me know it's okay to be afraid, but that I'm not alone.

Anyhoo, that's my experience. I hope that helps.

[Snowrider1961]

Can somebody give me some advice...please? My girlfriend (40) had her annual mammogram and they found calcifications. They were removed during biopsy. Good news. They were non-cancerous but she has atypical ductal hyperplasia. This week she's going in to have a small cherry size tissue removed under twilight anesthesia. She's NEVER been under this type of anesthesia or even general before. She's a wreck....very scared. Not to mention the whole cancer scare has got her shook up because her sister had breast cancer. I'm being very supportive and I tell her that I'll be there for her the whole way. Question for you women out there: What kinds of things should I be doing and saying to support her more?  

[IdahoGal]

I had a similar result on my mammogram report.  It said microcalcification cluster are classified BIRAD 4, Micros are pleomorphic....   and mine came out benign.  I think you have a good chance of it being benign.  Please keep us posted and know that you are not alone.  This is a real feeling of being scared, and I will keep you in my thoughts and prayers and pray for a benign result.  Wishing you the best..  GOD BLESS!

IdahoGal

[janie40]

I went to the surgeon today after having a mammo and then a magnification. Small area of calcifications are classified Birad 4. Clustered and some branching. micro's are pleomorphic (odd shapes, not alike) I am 61 and have had micros since the 90's.  Never had any scare like this though.
The surgeon said that 80% of Birad 4's are benign.
I am having a Sterotactic biopsy on Oct 30, the soonest they could get me in.
Anyone out there have a similar experience? Thank you all
Jane

[middegirl]

Thank you all. Let's keep in touch. Best of health to you :)

[IdahoGal]

That is great news...  I would not worry to much, sounds very similair to what my report said.  Make sure you get back in for your 6 months, so in the mean time, take a break and try to enjoy the winter season to come.   :)

IdahoGal

[japdip]

Sounds like you have received good news ... that's wonderful. Be sure you stay vigilant and keep up with routine follow-ups as recommended. Congratulations on your benign findings .....

[middegirl]

HI. I thought i would post the reports and hear what you think....
The report says "innumerable beign appearing round calcifications are seen scattered and clustered bilaterally. One cluster is dependently located within a 2.7cm sized round lesion at the lowert outer aspect of the right breast, likely a cyst.BIRAD 0".....Sono-gram said "At the 9:00 posistion 2 cm from the nipple ia a 2.7x1.2x2.2 cm well circumscribed hypoechoic lesion. This appears to represent a cyst with low level internal echoes. Calcifications visible by mamo. are not seen on this study. There is no posterior acoustic shadowing. There is no abnormal color doppler flow signal. No definite sonographic evidence of malignancy. Evidence for a 2.7 cm complex right breast cyst.6 month follow up... BIRAD 3"...My ob/gyn told me not to worry so much and come back in 6...I am still freaked out, when they sent me for the sono-gram i lost it.However eveything i read sounds good.What do you think?.. She put me on Evista because the dexta showed problems. Thank you sooo much.

[middegirl]

I go for my second mamo. today...Please keep me in your thoughts. Thank you. Bless you all......

[middegirl]

Wide awake, and on the comp. Just trying to think of "other" things..Facebook is a great place to play at 5am...Thinking of you all!

[IdahoGal]

I am sorry that they are not able to get you in any sooner.  Keep your as busy as you can and just think positive.  I will be thinking of you and will continue prayers for you as well. Please know that I am here if you ever want to talk.  GOD Bless and take care.
IdahoGal ( Lisa )

[middegirl]

Looks like it's Oct. 2nd...So i just have to keep busy...This weekend will be the hardest, trying to think of something to keep busy, maybe a movie...Hope your all doing ok, thinking of you all. Tty later on! Thanks again :)

[blueskyabq]

I think waiting is very stressful. As my case, after the screening mammogram report was our on Fri, they called me go back the following Mon for diagnosis mammogram and ultrasound.  Please talk to your Dr to see if they can speed up your schedule because after that, you may still need further exams or seeking 2nd opinion.  Good luck!

[IdahoGal]

Sorry to hear that you have a cold...darn it!  My BS said that it was not nessecary to have to go back in 6 months since the results came back benign.  Thank goodness, my poor breast has been through so much.  She said that it is ok to just keep my yearly appointment.  This came from my BS and not my GYN, so I am not sure what they will have me do.

I am here for you so please feel free to write to me ANYTIME. I am praying for you and ask GOD that this time goes by fast for you while you are waiting for your appointment.  I am feeling pretty good about your microcalcs though! GOD BLESS YOU!  Please, keep me posted and write to me ANYTIME, and have fun decorating your new place... how exciting!  I love decorating!!
IdahoGal

[middegirl]

I can't seem to get the Appt. moved up, but will try again. Now i guess because i am so stressed out, i have a cold! IdahoGal so happy everything came out ok. Do you now have to have an earlier check up, say 6 months? So good to hear positive news! To blueskyabk, i am thinking about you, idk all that much about this, i am new here myself, wating for my second set of films on Oct2....Braveheart2, trying to do things normally, but i feel in a fog. I just moved to this new town, so the apt needs lots of work, i love to decorate so i'll do that instead of other boring stuff. It always makes me happy...Thanks to you all, so glad i found all of you! xoxo

[IdahoGal]

Welcome aboard!  This site has been very comforting to me as well as giving me comfort and support while going through a difficult time.  I am so happy that you were able to find this web site and hope it gives you the comfort it has provided to many woman.  

To answer your questions:
1) I have never heard of having to travel after the wire has been inserted.  I would talk to your BS and see if you can have a local hospital insert the wire then take you down for surgery at the same facility.  I have never heard of one facility perform a procedure  then having to travel to another for the actual biopsy, but that does not mean it does not happen.  When I went in for my biopsy, they took me down to x-ray for the wire, then wheeled me down to surgery.  This was all done at the hospital.  If you do end up having to travel after your wire is inserted, ask them if they will tape it down with some gauze.  The wire has a fish hook on the end of it, so it should not move around.  One thing they may do depending on where the microcalcs are located, they place a second needle along with the wire and this could be a problem if you are going to be traveling.  I would make sure you talk to your BS on these concerns of yours.  

2) I am not sure about your second question... I myself have not experience a situation like that, but I hope that someone else will advice on it to give you some peice of mind about the thickness of the fluid.  I am sure that everything is going to work out just fine for you.  Please keep us posted... I am sending you GOOD VIbes your way.  GOD BLESS!!

IdahoGal

[blueskyabq]

Glad to hear that your calcification come out benign.  

I have also right breast diagnosis as BIRAD 4, same thing - a tiny cluster of calcification. I meet my BS last Thur, and she think waiting cannot solve the problem, I scheduled a Fri surgery, will do the same procedure. Thank you to share your experience.  This site is really a supported and help.  As a new member at the stage of diagnosis, I would like to thank for all ladies help and kindness to me and other members.

I do have 2 questions, to ask anyone had previous experience or know something about it.

1. As my coming surgery, wire localization excision biopsy.  I need go to one radiology center to do needle wiring localization procedure, then drive miles away (not myself though) to a local day surgery center to do surgery.  I don't know after wiring, is OK to carry by car for miles away to do surgery?  Will wire be move during transit then cause inaccurate? Because the surgery is based on the wire guide excison  Should I talk to my surgeon to ask?  I knew this after the person who schedule the surgery for me.   I think should be done in the same hospital?  Anyone ever heard the similar situation?

I was told that because the day surgery has no that kind of radiology?  I guess because that day my surgeon will do surgery in that hospital.  But the hospital is a big one, may just the day sugery has no this facility?  The good thing though is the radiology center is te one I did my mammogram, may be more familiar my situation, as a plus side?

2. I also have done one other procedure this afternoon.  It was on the other side of breast.  It shows on both mammogram and Ultrasound as a nodule and biopsy was recommended by the 1st radiologist.  I went to seek 2nd opinion, and he said it may be just a cyst, needle aspiration was recommended.  My surgeon, read over the reports, and did needle aspiration first. She said if fluid come out the lump gone, then it will be done, if it is solid then will do biopsy.  So when needle aspiration showed that fluid came out, then the nodule was gone from ultrasound. So she say need not biopsy on this one.  But the big question here is I has been read if the fluid is clear then is cyst.  But the fluid came out of my one  is light yellow color and like toothpaste, thick.   My surgeon said that may be dry.  I asked if need to send out for pathology check.  She told me that is not needed because that may cause false positive, like finding atypical cells or something, and the lump is gone, you cannot do anything.  So she told me just do follow up with US in 6 mo.  

Anyone had or heard similar story?  The bottom line is, should I have a peace of mind now for this results - what a thick, toothpaste fluid also means cyst?  As long as the nodule is not solid, then it is benign?

Thanks in advance for information and help!
  

[IdahoGal]

I am so sorry that you have to go through this anxiety!  I think that the hardest part of this is the waiting part and not knowing.  I hope that they will move your appointment up for you too.

I had to wait for over a month from the time they had me come in for my second mammy and then till the time of my biopsy to the day of my results.  I really feel that during that time, I have never been so afriad for what my future was going to hold.  When we hear the word "MICROCALCIFICATION" we work ourselves up so much. ( I know I did!!)  And the whole clincher of it is we try to control everything in our lives and when we have no control (in this particular case) we get scared and anxious.  

I just came back from my BS appointment post surgical biospy and she said that 80% of the time these microcalc. are benign and the older we get the higher chance of getting them.   I would try to take braveheart2's advise and keep your mind busy.  I am praying for you and sending you POSITIVE VIBES.  Your chances of these turning out to being nothing is REALLY good!   Take care...

IdahoGal

[braveheart2]

I really hope they can move up the date for your new films! It makes a big difference to be able to keep moving forward instead of endlessly waiting.

When I was going through the second films, then the stereotactic core needle biopsy, then just this morning the wire-guided excisional biopsy, I had a lot of anxiety and fear. But it really helped to think of all of the brave women who have gone before me -- if they could get through this experience, than so can I...

Keep trying to find familiar hobbies and tasks that distract you and make you feel "normal." When I was so anxious yesterday waiting for today's surgery, I dragged out my ladder and cleaned the windows as a distraction! It sounds silly, but I felt less nervous after I'd done it.

We are thinking of you! Please keep us posted as to how things turn out.

[middegirl]

I'm trying to go about my daily routine, but living alone gives me too much time to think...I will call today and see if it can be moved up...I just can't seem to focus, perhaps due to the panic attacks and ptsd i suffer from...Seeing all the posts really does help,Thank you.

[braveheart2]

You are not alone, and we are praying for you, too. There are many benign reasons for microcalcifications; the odds are in your favor. Definitely keep your appointment on 10/2, and follow your MD's advice to get the answers you need for peace of mind.

I too had the microcalcifications and second films with magnification, and then had a sterotactic core needle biopsy 2 weeks ago. No cancer, but some atypical cells that need a closer look. Tomorrow I go in for my wire-guided excisional biopsy to take more tissue to be sure there is nothing bad lurking nearby...but it is so hard not to feel anxious!

What works for me to keep my anxiety under control is to do "normal" things to try and take my mind off the waiting like work, read a book, spend time with my family/pets, educate myself by reading up on facts about microcalcifications and breast cancer, and read postings on this Web site to help me keep my perspective -- there are so many wise, compassionate people here. I am sure that your family is trying to reassure you the only way they know how, by minimizing the situation -- they're probably scared, too. Send them love, then find something to distract yourself with. Can you move your followup appointment up sooner to shorten the waiting period? That might help, too.
Kind regards...

[middegirl]

I just got a call back on Fri. afternoon for more films on both breasts. After much trouble a nurse said they saw microcalcification on the bottom of both...I suffer from panic attacks and had a full blown one, of which i am not proud, but after reading your posts i feel that i am not alone in at ..least my worry. I am 53 never had and trouble before with a mamo. Nor have i ever hear of this, my family and friends have just "joked this off"...Saying " oh your old now" After crying all day i found this site. Already i feel better..I go back on Oct. 2nd for the new films, see my Dr. the next day..I am trying to keep panic under controll...Any advice? And a little support is  what i really need. I pray for all of you...