Microcalifications

[charlotte19]

HI i have a couple of queston when diagnoised with microcalifications can you just follow them with a mamo to see if there are any changes.
I went to see a different breast specialist yesterday  she said since steriotactic failed to get calcs,
I should have an excisional has anyone had this done can you tell me what happens after?
The Doctor told me that i have a line of clacs that looks like a road and at the end of the road are a cluster of microcalifications and they need to come out! My Queston can they just be followed calcs by a mamo.
I also have to wait before they can do excisional as i have a hematoma.
what happens after all this if they find that the calcs are benign what is the next step
please if you can answere my questons i truley appriciate it thank you.

[charlotte19]

Hi
I would have done the exact same thing you have every right to be upset. Please do not apologize it is fine i am happy you were able to let loose sometime when we vent we think clearer at least i do i am able to pull up questons that i would never have thought of, crazy i know but true for me.
I wish you the best of luck let me know what happens i will be praying for you..

My next appointment is on the 24th of this month but my hematoma has not gone down so i also will continue to wait..

I have been reading a lot! The storys i have read on microcalifications,  benign seems to be the diagnoises Yea!!!
I am pretty confident that mine are benign i guess the hardest part is waiting to hear that everything is ok .
Thank goodness for my daughter she has been keeping me very busy these days with homework and after school activitys what a blessing,
Is you daughter in school?  
Well
Keep me posted i will be in touch   With warm Regards  C  

  

[misawa47]

Hi
So sorry for my ranting. I have calmed down today and will try to get some answers today. Unfortunately, I am at a military base where they are the only game in town. I will try to get my film and see if I can be seen by a Japanese doctor; however, I will have to bring an interpreter with me. It is very expensive to fly to the states for another visit. I really think this will all just blow over and be nothing; however, for now, my anxiety level is pretty high.

Thanks for listening and being supportive!

[charlotte19]

Hi
wow does it ever stop all this waiting & wondering!  I am so sorry that you are going through all of this.
If i were you i would pick up my film and go for a second apinion as braveheart has mentioned
Is there anyone you know that may have a good reference for a doctor or can you ask your primary doctor for a reference.
I will praying that all of this will come to an end soon for you and your family.
only good news heads your way.      

please keep me posted    best regards

[misawa47]

Hi
I just learned today that my mammography film NEVER left Japan for the Radiologist to review in Hawaii!!!!!! How can that be? I stopped by Radiology for an unrelated issue today and the tech said he was still holding my film and did I want him to file them in my records. I told him I was shocked they already were received from Hawaii when he informed me they NEVER left! I asked then how was the Radiologist able to make a determination that I don't need to visit Hawaii for a biopsy. Later I found out that my film will finally leave tomorrow (10/16/08) for a review by the Radiologist in Hawaii. How can this happen?

The wait continues...

[braveheart2]

I am so sorry to learn of the long delays and anxieties you are both going through! Like charlotte 19, I had an uncomfortable hematoma too after my stereotactic core needle biopsy, which was small, about the size of a plum then shrunk rapidly to the size of a large grape within 2 weeks -- at that time, I had the wire-guided excisional biopsy where my surgeon was able to remove the wire, clip, remaining hematoma, and suspicious area all in one go with benign results.

Now I have a healing incision that also has a firm region beneath the skin -- this is a normal healing response of the subcutaneous tissues, which I have experienced before with previous exicisional biopsies and does go away in time...this tissue thickness is more superficial than the hematoma was, which felt deeper and was more painful.

Misawa47, is there any way you can get hold of your records to take to a different surgeon for a second opinion? It is torture having to wait so long for some resolution...but just remember, microcalcifications themselves are only a signal of increased cell activity in the breast and are not necessarily a sign of cancer -- approximately 80% are benign -- but nonetheless, they must be examined fully and in a timely manner for peace of mind.

With kind regards...

[blueskyabq]

Thank you for the tip about hematoma.  I also think may be that is the scar underneath of skin from surgical biopsy.  I called the surgeon's office, the nurse told me, it is hard to say what it is, and ask me schedule an appointment to check out.

About wait and see, that is hard.

When my mammogram found calcification, I was told biopsy is needed.  When I undecided, because have not family history.  What the surgeon said to me make me decide not wait ad see so I will have a peace of mind.  She said to me, yeah, you can wait, after 6 mo, do mammogram to see if calcification change?  If yes, do biopsy.  If no change, what is that mean?  You still don't know what is there underneath of calcification.  OK, you can wait and see and again.  Every 6 mo, repeat mammogram, if no change, so what, still don't know.  And those wait and see every 6 mo, need last at least for 2 to 3 years, if nothing change, then you can say, well, that is just calcification, nothing else.  But, as you ages, the breast will change, calcification will change, too.  After while, you may still decide to do biopsy anyway.  So you decide you want to do it now or wait and see and decide later.  I think it make sense, so I decide do it right away.  My result is benign.  Now, at least I feel relived, although I still need to have following up in 6 mo.

Hope your waiting will soon ended and do whatever is best for you and you can have a peace of mind soon.  Best regards.

[misawa47]

Hi,
I called the Radiologist here in Japan this morning to find out what the Hawaii Radiologist wants to do with my case. He was busy, but the tech told me that once the surgeon gets back from his trip on 31 Oct, he wants to meet with the Radiologist here in Japan as well as the Radiologist in Hawaii and find out the next step to take. I am so in the dark. The tech said the Radiologist wants to ensure me that this is not an urgent condition and it can wait til the surgeon gets back in town.

I do keep busy as well with work and my family. My 6-year-old daughter brings such sunshine to me that it definitely takes the edge off.

I have found myself obsessed with trying to read more "just in case".

I suppose the wait will continue...

[charlotte19]

Hi
  Are there any other doctors in the office you go to that can find out your results for you.  For me waiting until the end of oct would drive me insane for results.
I will be praying that your results are good please keep me posted when you do get your results everytime i hear good news it gives me hope.

What has been getting me through this whole ordeal since febuary is reading all the benign results on this site as well as other sites they say there is only 20percent chance of malignency so that gives me hope,
  
The doctors the way they have been with this whole situation gives me hope  they are not pushing or being anxious so i think it can not be that bad or this would have been over with by now...  
I also keep myself very busy everyday so i do not have a lot of time to think about what is going on.
I am afraid but i can not do anything i just have to wait for nature to take it"s course get rid of my hematoma so i can have the excisional.
I actually read a women said it took 4 month before her hematoma went away i pray mind will not take that long  I really just want to put all of this behind me it has been to long.        
.

Regards.  

[charlotte19]

Hi

   I am not sure my hematoma showed up 2 weeks after my biopsy as i was worried when i found my lump i called the doctor told them what was going on and they told me it was a hematoma wosh what a relief i thought glad i called them.
when i went to the new breast specialist she did an ultra sound to confirm that it was indeed a hematoma.

It does take time to absorb into the body my doctor told me to use moist heat on my hematoma as much as possible take a shower let the hot water stay on the hematoma also take a wash cloth make it hot and place it hematoma through out the day as this is supose to help it absorb qiucker.  I wish you the best of luck and congradulations on your results.

Regards

[blueskyabq]

I was diagnosed by mammogram to have a tiny cluster calcification.  I was told that MRI will not help to conclude what is underneath of calcification, Drs worry about DCIS.  For my case, Dr said that stereotactic biopsy is not a good one, and recommended to have surgical  excision biopsy with wire localization. My pathology report came out fine.  

BTW, after 2 weeks of surgical biopsy, I begin to feeling a hard lump below stitches area, is that hematoma?  I have not talked to my surgeon yet, when I had following up appointment a week ago, I did not feel that.  Is it worth to have it check or it is normal and it will be absorbed by the body soon?  Or it is something else need to pay attention to?  Anyone had the same experience?

[misawa47]

Hi Charlotte,
Thanks for the info on the MRI. Atlanta did the stereotactic biopsy and missed the site altogether due to being in the wrong position (the after-biopsy mammogram showed the marker in a different locations than where the cluster of microcalcifications were noted).  It is interesting that the Radiologist that first discovered the cluster of microc in July recommended a wire guided open biopsy. I understand it is easy to miss the microcalcifications that is why the wire is so important to put in the correct place. The Atlanta doctor said the best method was the stereotactic so I went with it. This was a very well-known reputable cancer center so I thought I was in good hands.

The hospital here in Japan advised me against calling Hawaii as it is not "proper" protocol.

I can't believe you have been playing this waiting game since February! That's insane. I thought I had a long wait (since Jul). Do you have any other symptoms, i.e. swollen lymph node?

I will certainly say a prayer for you that all comes out good when they do the excisional.

Take care

[charlotte19]

Hi
I am not sure  I like you have been looking for answeres I know that if you have a clustar of calcs they have to be biopsy. Due to this may be a signs of early breast cancer. No they can not be followed through mamo is what have been told.
Mri   I think yes it can pick up on more then a mamo but i am not sure. I remember last year i was waiting to have a ct scan and this wonderful elderly women was in for a Mri of the breast The women told all the women sitting in the waiting room her story of how the mamo missed her lump and that she was so happy because the Mri found it her lump and it turned out to be cancer she told all of us to make sure we have an mri"s done  because mamo can sometimes miss.
Did they ever get your calcs?  Can you call Hawaii? .
I am sorry that you are going through all this i like you have been very frustrated i have been doing this since febuary now for me it is a waiting game for this huge hematoma to go down so that this surgent can try an excisional.

I forgot to ask what are the chances of missing calcs through this procedure.
Also would like to know what kind of cancer comes from microcalifications  
I will be praying for you.  keep me posted..      Regards        

[misawa47]

Hi,
Wow, your situation sounds very similar to mine. I have been dealing with my situation since July and still no answers - very frustrating. I had an abnormal mammogram rated as BIRADS 4 due to clustered microcalcifications in a starburst pattern with uneven borders. I had a stereotactic biopsy done where, like you, they were not able to pull in the calcifications for the testing. I also had a large hematoma. I live in Northern Japan so had to travel to Atlanta for the biopsy (out of pocket) and since that biopsy failed, my doctor here in Japan wanted to send me to Hawaii to another doctor for another biopsy and had my film sent there. I got a call on Tuesday saying to contact my doctor here in Misawa for results from Radiology in Hawaii. I left a couple of messages for the doctor here; however, no call. He left today for a TDY and won't be back in the area til 31 Oct! All I wanted to know was what Hawaii said. Do they recommend waiting for a 6-month mammogram or what???? It is terribly frustrating and I am contemplating gathering my films and taking an interpreter with me to a Japanese doctor to get resolve.

I also have other symptoms that I have had for a year which includes rust color discharge from left breast and swollen painful lymph node under left armpit. I also have had pain in the area of microc for about 6 months. I don't know if this other is anything or not, but I have bumps on my aerola like when you get when you are cold (not white pimples).

From reading some posts, could a mammogram miss a lump that might be deeper in the chest wall that only a MRI will find?

[charlotte19]

Hi Thank you for your answeres. Yes the surgeon is going to wait for the hematoma to go away naturaly she gave me tips on how to help the process move quicker
She told me that do pop it with a needle could cause infection she believe mother nature will do her work.
I feel a little better after reading your post this has just been on going since febuary,  feeling a little frustrated really would like to put this all behind me as soon as possible. .  It is so nice to have warm people like you on this site posting back, Thank you truley does help!    I will keep in touch my next visit to the doctor is on the 24th of this month I  hope that the hematoma will be gone by then so we can proceed to surgery. I will continue to visit this site everyday. My surgeon suggest moist heat and to wear a sprots bra everyday to help hematoma go away.
Sincerly C  

[japdip]

Once Microcalcifications are found in a cluster/ group they need to be biopsied by some method. They are an indication of the response of the breast tissue to some abnormality within the breast. Even though many are found to be due to a benign condition, the possibility of cancer does exist. If they are found to be benign then just normal follow-up exams are recommended. What happens after your excisional biopsy depends on what the Pathology examination of the tissue reveals. More than likely your biopsy will be "wire guided" ... a very fine wire will be inserted under X-ray in the Radiology Dept. to pinpoint the area to be sampled before you go to Surgery. This guides the Surgeon to the exact area since there is no visible lump to be biopsied. You definitely need to proceed with the biopsy as soon as permitted by the hematoma you mentioned. Your Surgeon should be able to evaluate this situation.   Regards ...