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Cluster of Calcification in Mammogram
I am having a breast biopsy done this Friday due to a circle cluster of calcification. Apparently a year ago I had only a scatter pattern of no concern. What causes this calcium deposits, can I change something I am doing exercise and eating? Also, I have read I have a 4 / 5 chance of it not being cancer, is this accurate? Or are the chances higher with it being in a circle pattern?
A related discussion, Breast calcifications was started.
I got my results now too, I have cancer, early stage but even more scared now. The plan is for a lumpectomy, radition and Tamoxofin. I am getting a second opinion on Monday to validate it.
Does anyone know anything about Mammocite radiation, my Dr. told me I was a good candidate.
Does anyone know anything about Mammocite radiation, my Dr. told me I was a good candidate.
A related discussion, calcification clusters, biopsys, waiting was started.
A related discussion, microcalcifications in a circle cluster was started.
You are not wrong to worry. Any of us would worry. But unfortunately worry want do any good. Where are the new calcifications in the same breast as the older ones? Are they clustered together or spread out. Is there a lump or mass of any sort?
You are not wrong to worry. Any of us would worry. But unfortunately worry want do any good. Where are the new calcifications in the same breast as the older ones? Are they clustered together or spread out. Is there a lump or mass of any sort?
Hello,
I feel so lucky to have found this site. I have read every word posted and it has helped to ease some of my fears.I am 55 years old and the mother of five. My mother is a post-menopausal breast cancer survivor (over 19 years!)
After putting it off for two years for one stupid reason or another, I had my mommogram yesterday. The films show that I have a small cluster of calcifications high up on my right breast. I have had other calcifications that were followed up with six month mommo and remianed unchanged, but these were new and a different type. I was scared enough when the radiologist pointed it out to me but my panic mode has gone into overdrive since then.
A good friend of mine is one of the top breast surgeons in the area. I immediately took all of the films to his office and had the radiologist fax him my report. He just called me to say that in the report the radiologist recommended a biopsy and after looking at the films, my friend the surgeon agrees. He said that it does not look particularly worrisome, but it is best to be safe. My spot has about eight calcifications in the cluster. Is this small?
There is that part of me that says it must be something serious, becuase my friend would not take any chances with me. I am worring myself into an early grave. Please help.
I feel so lucky to have found this site. I have read every word posted and it has helped to ease some of my fears.I am 55 years old and the mother of five. My mother is a post-menopausal breast cancer survivor (over 19 years!)
After putting it off for two years for one stupid reason or another, I had my mommogram yesterday. The films show that I have a small cluster of calcifications high up on my right breast. I have had other calcifications that were followed up with six month mommo and remianed unchanged, but these were new and a different type. I was scared enough when the radiologist pointed it out to me but my panic mode has gone into overdrive since then.
A good friend of mine is one of the top breast surgeons in the area. I immediately took all of the films to his office and had the radiologist fax him my report. He just called me to say that in the report the radiologist recommended a biopsy and after looking at the films, my friend the surgeon agrees. He said that it does not look particularly worrisome, but it is best to be safe. My spot has about eight calcifications in the cluster. Is this small?
There is that part of me that says it must be something serious, becuase my friend would not take any chances with me. I am worring myself into an early grave. Please help.
The great thing about forums is that we are all supposed to be able to express ourselves openly, without feeling like we are being judged and/or attacked for our point of view. Unfortunately some people feel they are the "gatekeepers" of opinion and need to criticize, judge and or condemn someone else. This is a shame, because it prevents people from sharing their experience or expressing themselves and then they don't use forums like this anymore. Thanks for letting me share and my very best to all of you.
While we are all venting, I can understand not being able to cure cancer and all but why can't they develop test results faster. I mean is it really too much to ask to devote a little research to easing the aniexty that waiting 3-6 days for test results creates....
Where in that post did you interpret that I was teling women not to get a biopsy? If you read what I wrote you'd know that, i.e. " I'm not suggesting anyone forego a biopsy". I had a stereotactic myself. I'm just saying get a second opinion if you feel it's warranted, especially if the stereotactic doesn't work. FACT: 80-85% of all microcalcification biopsies are benign. I was just trying to help scared, anxiety-ridden people like myself, but in NO WAY did I say not to get a biopsy. Thanks for letting me vent...again.
OK you did not say biopsy you said, "Needless surgery"! I thank God I had my "needless surgery" or they may have found my cancer to late. I wish I had a crystal ball and so do those surgeons. I am glad they are here maybe they can save my life. And the 85% you speak of is that 85% of 100, 1000, 10000 Ect. Those surveys can all be inturpted differently.
Please don't take me wrong but let me vent. I would like to know where the 85% is. They certainly don't seem to be on this world wide forum. I would get another biopsy any day. Why wait for something terrible. Thanks for your vent.
I just need a place here to vent and to share my experience. I went for a second opinion last Friday for a cluster of clacs (small cluster) that was unsuccessfully biopsied via stereotactic Mmammotome 2 weeks ago. This (2nd) doctor was a cancer surgeon who reviewed my films. He told me that if I was comfortable, I could wait 4 months and come back for another mammo to see if there's been any change and if no change, we continue in 6 month intervals for another year or so, just to make sure. He said that they were not "worrisome" to him, as described by the initial radiologist report. He even said that calcs often just disappear on their own. I trust that he knows what he's doing, since he has about 30+ years in medicine, most of it in cancer sugery and has worked at notable institutions lsuch as the Fox Chase Cancer Center. So, I'm writing this for all of you out there who are in the same anxiety-filled situation and are told the only option is an excisional biopsy for microcalcifications. You need know all of your options. You have the right to a second opinion from a breast/cancer specialist. Even if you go ahead with the surgical biopsy, you will feel better knowing you are in control of your own body. I'm not suggesting anyone forego a biopsy. I was and still am all for the stereotactic route. But with the alarmingly high number of needless sugeries, it is concerning to me that most of us just do whatever we're told, because it's one doctor or radiologist telling us to do it. They are not infallable and many are certainly not without the fear of being sued for not having ordered a biopsy. You also need to trust your gut. I know this is a breast cancer forum and I have tremendous respect for all of you who have been diagnosed and have struggled with this disease, but with 85% of these biopsies being benign, it seems that science needs to really ramp up the research to #1) eliminate this disease altogether and #2) develop better diagnostics to stop the needless anxiety and surgeries. Thanks for letting me vent and my very best to all of you.
Do you have your results yet? Please keep us posted. We are all in this together.
Keep us posted if you have questions, you become way too familiar with your own type of cancer in about one month. We'll help.
I have been reading posts here and find them so helpful. I had a steriotactic biopsy done on Thursday and I am waiting for the results. Hopefully, I will get a call tomorrow.
Boninclyde - Have you received your test results yet? Yours seems near the same spot as mine. On my lumpectomy they cut along the outer edge of the nipple (areola). I didn't know that was where they were going to cut. I guess it is common there to minimize a scar, and they could be right, I am very swollen still but I can see where it might not be too noticeable. I think my biopsy scar will show more but nobody is going to see them except my husband anyway. Just giving you some thoughts to run by your surgeon if you end up that route. Why are you considering a mastectomy, is it in your family or are you nervous about reoccurence? You don't have to answer if you don't want to, just curious since nobody even suggested it to me.
It was an outpatient surgery, no overnight stay for me. The wire thing was 10am and the surgery was suppose to be at 1pm but the surgeon was late, it started at 2pm, I remember looking at the clock in the OR room. They put me out but not deeply out, no tube down my throat, more like if you had a tooth pulled. They actually woke me up in the OR to ask me to move myself back off the operating table and on to the gurnee again. I was a little out of it but I hoisted myself over and thought it was strange to wake up still in the OR room. I don't really remember going to the room then just waking up again in the room. I left at 5:15pm that same afternoon. They said as long as I could eat some food and dispose of the food I could go home so I did both and got the heck outta there, I hate hospitals.
It turns out I am too young for mammocite, I guess they recommend it on post-menapausal women most. I am glad to hear to are getting a second. I am home from surgery now and feeling pretty good as long as I don't use my arm too much. I think the surgeon does really really matter. The day after my biopsy I was really really sore still and it still hurt and was bleeding a little after 2 weeks. Now the day after my lumpectomy I feel half way decent, better compared to one day post biopsy. I only took a few Tylenol last night and nothing so far today for the pain. Now I just pray on the test results. If you need someone in Illinois let me know I've got a good one.
Glad to see you are home. Boy you did not stay in hospital long. Didn't you just go yesterday? Been waiting for you to post. Glad to hear you have little pain. Did they put you to sleep? How long did it take for you to wake up? You can answer when you feel better. Sorry to bomdard you with questions. Prayers are with you. Sorry you/we all have to wait so long for the results.
I made an appointment for next Friday with a cancer surgeon at a university hospital for a second opinion and am sending him my films. He is supposed to be one of the best in the city and has a top notch radiologist he uses who specializes in breast imaging. I was told by his nurse that when and if he has to do an excisional or wire localization biopsy and strongly feels it may be DCIS, he does take out just enough tissue to leave room for a mammocite balloon implant, should it end up being cancer. Then it's only 5 days of radiation with the mammocite. I feel better, more in control. Thanks for your support and let me know how it goes. Good luck & blessings to you!
I changed to my second opinion and now my surgery is tomorrow July 28. I am nervous as heck but a gals gotta do what a gals gotta do.
I am having a wire localization as part 1 of the surgery tomorrow, I'll let you know how it is. Please do see a real dedicated breast surgeon, they know more and are probably more proficient. The wire localization is just to guide the surgeon to where they placed the clip at in the biopsy. I don't understand why you would get a wire without an effective biopsy and in the process of a lumpectomy. Get a second.
Well I went fo my stereo-tactic yesterday and it didn't work. Besides being VERY painful due to not enough drugs and after laying on the table for 2+ hours, he couldn't get a sample. I am told that my only option is a wire localization. While I will do what I need to do, I am thinking of having a second opinion by a doctor who specializes in breast imaging. With 36A breasts and having had 2 benign surgeries on the other breast in the past, I'm not going to be as passive about this one. Especially after all of the anxiety it has provoked. Good luck with your surgery and I'll say some prayers that all goes great, which I'm sure it will! Take deep breaths and tell them you want plenty of pain medication!!
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