pleomorphic microcalcifications

[HazelLynn]

Do Pleomorphic microcalcifications always turn into cancer? and does each individual calcification become a lump?

Thanks

[firecracker402]

A related discussion, Bioidentical hormones and micro calcs was started.

[HazelLynn]

Hi, I thought I was going to have a bit of breathing space until the 27th Feb when my appointment is with the doctor, but I have just had a bath and felt under the nipple of the breast that I just had a tumourectomy on to remove the calcifications, a lump under the nipple that I have never felt before.  Its six days since I had the operation and now I have this, the area feels sensitive and a bit tickly/prickly, the lump is about the size of a bean.  Also where they did the operation the breast is almost jet black.  I am going back tomorrow just for a dressing but will ask for professional advice on the lump, but wondered if you could give me any information on what it could be - having rapidly appeared.

Thank you, Hazel

[BhumikaMD]

Hi,

Glad the posts were of some help to you.

Keep up your spirits and let us know how you are doing.

Keep us posted about your appointments and any doubts that you have.

Regards.

[HazelLynn]

Thank you.  I will be in touch again once I have had the meeting with the doctor.  Your advise has been,  and is very valuable to me.
Hazel

[BhumikaMD]

Hi,

The exact statistics in this regard would be difficult to give - maybe you should talk to your doctor once the reports come in.

But still, if we consider that there was no spread or invasion and that you are given radiotherapy - the chances of a disease free survival increase and also the prognosis is better.

Let us know what the reports say.

Regards.

[HazelLynn]

Hi, after a very long wait, I have had my pleomorphic microcalcifications DCIS removed and now they are being sent away for analysis which will take 3 weeks -  I know that some were high grade with necrosis, if they havent spread/invaded and I have radiotherapy - will I have a long prognosis? and what is classed as a long prognosis, is it more than ten years?

[BhumikaMD]

Hi,

Well, that indeed is great news.

You can relax now.

You need to take antireflux  medications and see if it helps with your arm and shoulder pain.

If not it would be better to rule out other causes.

It would be ebst to carry out regular breast self exams and follow up with your doctor periodically.

Do let us know about how you are doing.

Hope this helps.

Good luck.

[Veronica1967]

Received my biopsy results today....both clusters are benign...all is clear...yeah!!!! Thank you so much Dr for all your advice and thank you for this site. I have learned so much from reading others stories and have everyone in my prayers. I cant thank you enough.

[Veronica1967]

I am scheduled to see a breast specialist tomorrow (1/15) at MD Anderson in Orlando. I will provide him with past mammo's and ultrasounds of my breast.

I have not had a CT scan of my chest. I stressed my concerns to my Dr about my chest xray results showing, "atelectais". I was concerned it may mean a tumor in my lungs due to BC. He acted like I was crazy and said, "This has nothing to do with your breast or breast cancer" and said a CT would not be appropriate at this time.  

I have so many things running through my mind....If I have cancer, it has spread to my lungs and so forth....

I do have GERD but never imagined that could cause arm and shoulder pain.

Do you feel with my mammogram results chances are it is cancer?

Thanks so much and thank God for this site.

[BhumikaMD]

Hi,

Well, it would be advisable to see your breast specialist and go ahead with the sterotactic biopsy.

Ask for a copy of the reports.

Pleomorphic calcifications with clustering point out more towards being malignant but that just means further investigations need to be done for a confirmed diagnosis.

You should also ask your doctor if the scarring or atelectasis on the chest xray be related to the breast lesions. Has a CT scan of the chest been done?

For the left arm and left shoulder pain it would be best to see a doctor immediately. you should get an ECG done, get your blood pressure checked and also rule out gastro-esophageal reflux and cervical spondylitis as the cause of this pain.

Do let us know about how you are doing.
Hope this helps.
Good luck.

[Veronica1967]

I would appreciate any advice on mammo results I received a couple of days ago. I am 40 yrs old, no children, and had a breast reduction 2.5 yrs ago (lots of pain in my breasts from the surgery). My mother (60 yr old) was diagnosed with stage 3 breast cancer last year. She had no benifits from chemo, hdad a double masectomy and is now taking radiation treatments. She is a fighter and my hero.

I had a mammo with results of " "THERE ARE NEW MICROCALCIFICATIONS IN THE LEFT BREAST. THE MICROCALCIFICATIONS DO HAVE PLEOMORPHIC APPEARANCE (2 small areas of clusters). STEREOTATIC CORE BIOPSY RECOMMENDED. BIRADS CATEGORY 4:SUSPICIOUS

I also had a chest xray for a chronic productive cough. The results: SMALL LINEAR DENSITY IN THE LEFT LOWER LUNG IS LIKELY DUE TO SMALL AREA OF ATELECTASIS OR SCARRING. NO FOCAL INFILTRATES.

My Dr started me on 10 days of Levaquin for the atelectasis and I have an appt to see a breast specialist Jan 15th at MD Anderson in Orlando.

I have also been experiencing LEFT arm and shoulder pain for a few months now. I have searched the internet and found the words "clusters" and "pleomorphic" when dealing with microcalcifications is a good indicator of cancer.

Would appreciate any feedback I receive about this. This has got me re-evaluating my life and putting a lot of things into perspective. Thanks for taking the time to read this.

[HazelLynn]

Hi, Thank you for your post, it has given me some hope, I have been driving myself crazy about these wretched things.
Best wishes to you.
Hazel

[DrBhumikaMD]

Hi,
Pleomorphic calcifications are fine branching calcifiacations. They usually need to be investigated further to rule out malignancy or breast cancer. They do not always turn into cancer. Nor does each calcific lesion turn into a lump. A surgical excision biopsy would be able to give a more definite diagnosis. Also ask your radiologist for the complete report and also ask him to explain it to you. Well the first step is to rule out a malignant lesion and further management will vary accordingly. Dont worry too much and right now just prepare yourself for the surgical excision biopsy. Goodluck.

[Montana girl 06]

Pleomorphic microcalcs can indicate cancer, but not always, and having them does not mean a cancer will eventually occur. With malignant/premalignant conditions, there is an abnormal production and turn over or death of cells. With cell death, calcium is a by-product. This is one version of why they think microcalcs appear with cancer. Microcalcs do not turn into tumors, but they often occur with cancerous tumors. The appearance of suspicious microcalcs with a tumor is often more suggestive of cancer than microcalcs alone. I've had 3 biopsies for microcalcs, and the 3rd time they were described as pleiomorphic. All of my biopsies were benign. If yours turn out to be benign, they will probably want to watch them closely (maybe mammogram every 6 months) to make sure nothing else suspicious appears.