Microcalcifications

[snowlady]

I had a lumpectomy almost 6 years ago with radiation & Tamoxifen.
My mammogram now shows a cluster of microcalcifications & some calcifications above the cluster. The surgeon took one look at the mammogram & said the cluster, which is not round calcifications but like lines, was from radiation. I was surprised to hear this. This is a new cluster. Never heard of this before. Is this possible? He is going to do a biopsy on the other cancifications in 2 weeks. If it is cancer or DCIS I will have to have a mastectomy. Would I have to have other treatment as well? I had Invasive Ductal Carcinoma originally.

Thank you for any information,
Snowlady

[DebC]

80% of biopsies resulting from microcalcifications are not necessary?  Geesh...I've read, read, read as much as I can the past week, since my 2nd mammo report (G4/microcalcifications). I've read where stereotactic is good, then other articles say it's not because it can miss the spot and the "gold standard" is supposed to be good...whatever that is.  I think it's the wire localization/tissue removal.  If you've read/learned that a biopsy on calicifications are not necessary, how do they determine if it's cancer or not?  I guess I'm really naive about all this....and scared to death.  Everyone keeps saying "don't worry until you know you have something to worry about"...well, easier said than done...it's not their breast!  And, no matter HOW hard I try, I cannot NOT think about this.  I, seriously, hope there will be a night when I can get a good night sleep again...between this stuff and hot flashes...geesh!

[epete06]

I just had a bad mammogram and have been researching furiously to arm myself with information in order to stand off the Mayo Clinic's conservative approach. Indications are DCIS.  I've postponed the biopsy, choosing instead to consult with the radiologist to learn more about what she sees.  It seems on the one hand that advanced technology has allowed medical folks to identify DCIS much more quickly but they don't know what to do with it so in the interim, choose drastic measures to cover their liability. Further reading indicates that 80% of biopsies resulting from microcalcifications are unnecessary not to mention their lumpectomy/masectomy solution. Dr. John Lee saved me from taking hormone replacements and I'm expecting to find equally erudite information on this website.

[whyizzit]

Dear Snowlady
re:DCIS
Get informed - READ everything you can - ask questions - if the pathology comes back, - make sure you understand it before you consent to a mastectomy! I wish I'd known more of what I posted in the links below...
  
Go to johnleemd.com or
If you can, get Dr John Lee's book (What your dr may not tell you about breast cancer) re/DCIS --it is astounding on page 52

  Here is some very interesting reading re/DCIS and breast cancers.
Hope you don't mind my sharing --

Much luck and hugs to you~
Katy

http://breastdoctor.com/breast/benign/fat.htm

http://www.nbcc.org.au/pages/info/resource/nbccpubs/clinprof/tests.htm#path

http://www.findarticles.com/cf_0/m0999/n7160_v317/21175419/p4/article.jhtml?term=wrongful+mastectomy

http://breastdoctor.com/breast/benign/fat.htm

Much luck and hugs to you~
Whyizzit

[snowlady]

Thankyou for the reply. I did get the report from the radiologist & he states a suspicious new cluster & recommends a biopsy, but also circled on the films the microcalcifications above this cluster which will be biopsied. Wouldn't the radiologist know if radiation causes clusters of calcifications?
I would like to know if anyone has ever seen this & is it likely to be the rare side effect of radiation caused cancer? I really
always want to know everything about this breast cancer monster.
Thanking you again,
Snowlady1

[CCF-RN,MSN-rf]

Dear Snowlady:  I would suggest you get the report from the radiologist.  These are the best folks for interpreting mammograms.  If this is cancer or DCIS, the appropriate treatment would be mastectomy.  Additional radiation would not be appropriate because it is likely that you have already received the lifetime maximum.  Other additional treatment would depend upon the pathology and size, etc.