after a year mamo

sillide

I just had a mamo and they found microcalcifications in the surgical area on the left breast. could this be a result of scar tissue or radiation. I had a lumpectomy in July 02 and followed by that chemo and radiation. Is it possible for cancer to grow while going through treatments? I have to have a biopsy but have to wait 2 weeks for my doctor's vacation (the only one I trust) Anyone have this before ? I don't know if I can go through this again.

raku

Hi Sillide,
When I was doing research about a year ago I remember reading something about the location of sites where reoccurances could occur. If I remember correctly the most common places for reoccurance was the original site (whatever quadrant the cancer was in), the scar tissue, and the chest wall muscle (for people like me who had mastectomies). I don't know enough about cancer to know if it can grow when you are having treatments. Your doctor should know the answer. I'm so glad that you have a doctor that you can trust...that is great :-) I hope you don't have to go through the cancer rollercoaster again. Keep us posted. Bye for now.

24242

I too had lumps grow on healthy breast before i had it removed. fibrous cysts and not one was cancerous. By my first year aniversary I was having the second one removed due to lumps. Couldn't garantee they wouldn't turn into cancer so what is the point wanted it off right from the start anyways. My mother talked me out of a double because she sayed it is just too hard on body than you have to be. Worry about cancerous side first. My worry was I wouldn't go back but lumps made that impossible to live with. Second time just as bad but better drugs or more of them.
Being in pain just too hard on system so control it from the start and make them control it.
What stage was your initial cancer??
would be interested to know
Tara

inkblot

I'm wondering what decade of life you're in? Pre or post menopausal? It seems to make a difference.

As someone else said, the research does point to local recurrences being very near the initial tumor. My surgeon says that recurrences, in his experience, tend to be in the same area as the original tumor and often, underneath the scar tissue.

As we get older, (and post menopausal) a certain amount of microcalcifications are normal, according to research and my oncologist. The pattern of them being more important than how many. My surgeon explained to me that "strings" of micro's are more cause for concern than the lone one or two. Hope that may help some.

Post radiation fatty tissue necrosis often accounts for the lumpiness some of us have and isn't unusual. However, it's important to check out every newly discovered lump or bump. Keep in mind that we need all those follow up mammo's to track what our breasts are going to be like, after surgery and radiation. It can take a full two years for the tissue to go through whatever changes it's going to go through and settle enough that the radiologists and surgeon's no longer see anymore changes on mammo's.

In all sincerity, it seems the more we learn, the less we can figure out on our own because every situation and everyone's bodies and variables are so different.

I know it's difficult, but try to relax a bit until you have definitive information from the biopsy and try to envision the best scenario.

Here's a warm hug along with my wishes for a good biopsy outcome!

Love, light and laughter,
Ink