Clustered Microcalcification

[mel43]

I'm very new at this, on July 26th I had a mammogram & was called back for a magnified mommogram. I have been called and told I need to see the surgeon on Aug. 8th to schedule a biopsy. My report read, Clustered Microcalcification of the left breast at 1:00 outer BIRAD-4. So I'm in panic mode, I live in a very Rural area, I'm 43 this is my second mammogram. I'm scared to death, not sure what to expect or what the statistics are. I have had no symtoms until I had the magnified test now my breast is sore and has a burning sensation. Is this normal??
I have very small breast, what should I expect in the up coming weeks. I need help, I'm still trying to understand all of this. Now every ache & pain I feel through out my body I panic. There is no history of breast cancer in my family. There isn't really anyone to talk to here, and the doctors office people don't seem to be the compassionate type of people. Any help/advice would be appreciated.

[Under Forty Pam]

It is probably a stereotactic needle biopsy then.  The process takes about 1 hour most of it is prep.  You lay on a table with your breast thru a large hole.  They squeeze you in like mammogram and it stays compressed the entire time, probably 30-40 minutes and that is the hardest part.  They numb you with a few needles that you will feel but isn't too bad.  They take many pictures along the way to line things up.  When they are lined up and ready to go they do the real procedure which is only 12 seconds (for me anyway).  Then you stay there in the same position while they check and double check to make sure they got a good sample with the calcification in it.  Then they clean you up and bandage you a little and send you home.  Have someone drive you to the appointment.  You can drive yourself but your nerves will be bundled up a bit so it is just easier.  Plan on a lot of ice packs for the ride home and the rest of that day and the next day.  My procedure was on a Fri and I felt a little tired on Sat then relatively normal on Sun and even played softball on Tue.

[ziggy123]

Not sure of the techical name, but he said that he will numb my breast and use a needle to extract the calcifications. Because of the location he said that my shoulder might be sore. Do they do a mammogram as they perform the biopsy?

[boninclyde]

Find out what type of biopsy you'll have to have and we'll let you know. They are very gentle in either case.

[ziggy123]

One follow up question to all of you. What should I expect with the biopsy? Are you awake? My cluster is high up, if that makes a difference.

[ziggy123]

Thank you for your responses. Here I sit waiting for the phone to ring, to find out when my biopsy is scheduled. Asking for it to be done yesterday did not seem to work. My doctor promised to do all he could to make this happen sooner rather than later.
You are all correct, when you said that waiting is one of the hardest parts. At lease when you know something you can be more directed. This limbo makes me crazy!
I do know one thing for sure, I will become the poster child for not putting off a mammogram. My annual should have been two years ago, and I just kept putting it off. What an idiot!

[Under Forty Pam]

I don't believe calcifications are always in the ducts.  I have them spread all over the place.  They were never concerned about widespread calcium only when they moved together to a cluster.  My cluster was also small, almost hard to counts the dots, not many I would say but enough to end up being cancer.  Get the biopsy and stay postive they do say the statistics are in your favor.  If it turns out to be nothing you will be happy, if not then you will join our club and ask a ton of questions.  Many of us are going thru the same things right now, I was a July 2006 diagnosis.