microcalcifications what are they

EveningStar2

fachem said:

microcalcifications
jeanne...hi ...thanks for the prayers ..need them...and will keep praying for you too......my son said....the lord does answer "KNEE MAILS"....so i will bend at the knee for all.....i am leaning towards the biopsy...strongly.......somewhat in denial i guess right now....but i think the surgeon will shed the light on my issues..........wish you the best with the radiation treatments.........i will keep you posted...thanks for answering back...means alot to me...take care and will keep in touch.....trish (fachem)

microcalcs
Welcome to the group even though none of want the reason that we are here. I am in the nurse with microcals that ended in a DCIS diagnosis, lumpectomy, and currently in radiation. Reader's Digest has an article in the April edition on DCIS. There is a school of thought that thinks that microcalcs/DCIS are issues that the body can take care of itself. *shrug* As I said elsethread, I'm not willing to take the chance.

Maureen

Jeanne D

fachem said:

microcalcifications
jeanne...hi ...thanks for the prayers ..need them...and will keep praying for you too......my son said....the lord does answer "KNEE MAILS"....so i will bend at the knee for all.....i am leaning towards the biopsy...strongly.......somewhat in denial i guess right now....but i think the surgeon will shed the light on my issues..........wish you the best with the radiation treatments.........i will keep you posted...thanks for answering back...means alot to me...take care and will keep in touch.....trish (fachem)

Good luck to you!
Thank you Trish. I will pray for you and keep you in my thoughts. Please let us know what you find out and what you decide to do! OK?

Take care,

Jeanne

tami90650

fachem said:

microcalcifications
hi all..i am a newbie...need help..i am a watch and wait person..had first mammo this feb 2009 called back for diagnostic bcause they found loosely clustered microcals in left breast at 12 oclock......written report first said right so at that point i was really worried about validity of report........well i had diagnostic...birads 4 calcifications 13mm linearly grouped.........ok so here i am a nurse 30+ yrs...55 yrs old....still a watch and wait..they had no other films to compare so they rec a biopsy sterotatct vacumn...went for second opinion at another breast ctr.....now i had indeterminate microcalcifications and they told me i had a 80 % chance benign....i asked question from the second ctr.....if i had had a mamo from one yr ago and it read the same as this one in 2/09 woulld i need a biopsy..they said no not if there were no changes.....well now i am totally not confident in breast ctrs and radiologist subjective findings and interpretations....i made an appt with a surgeon on 4/14/09...to ask his opinion...you see... in reading the reports there are so many different versions of what i have..loosely clusterred to linearly grouped to microcals to cals that are indeterminate...and some many revised reports..its scarry to think they reccomend a biopsy when i may not need it........help any feedback?????thanks so much

biopsy
You wont be able to REALLY know until there is a biopsy. They dont really hurt to have either. Until you REALLY KNOW, you wont know, and that can be very hard on the mind. Get the peace of mind you really need and get the biopsy done. Better safe now than sorry later on down the road. Now, if it is microcalcifications (pre-cancer) now is the time to get rid of it. Be BOLD with this situation and act aggressively. Cancer is very aggressive and you have to beat it to the punch. And if its not, at least youll have that peace of mind. God Bless you in all you do love tami

neda

EveningStar2 said:

Hi and welcome. I too had

Hi and welcome. I too had microcalcifications and a biopsy was recommended. The radiologist that did the biopsy didn't think it was necessary but we did it any way and I was diagnosised with ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS). I had a lumpectomy last week and will have radiation treatment but no chemotherapy. There is a school of thought that feels these are small and "precancerous" and there is some evidence that the body will take care of them on their own. I didn't want to take that chance. I am 55 BTW.

I would recommend a biopsy and then you can go on after you get the results but that is between you and your doctor. Feel free to ask questions, this board is a tremendous source of information and support.

Maureen

Hi, I had stage 1 high grade
Hi, I had stage 1 high grade ductal carcinoma in-situ in my left side. lymph nods were not envolved, and they were able to get a clean margin. Then I was recomonded for radiation with my oncologist for 6 weeks. I have 4 weeks left. But I have this question in my mind ; would this be enough for me. ( I mean radiation) an edthen I have to take tamxofin for 5 years. I am concern if this is the best chice for me to do?

What do yo think?

Thanks Neda

neda

EveningStar2 said:

Hi and welcome. I too had

Hi and welcome. I too had microcalcifications and a biopsy was recommended. The radiologist that did the biopsy didn't think it was necessary but we did it any way and I was diagnosised with ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS). I had a lumpectomy last week and will have radiation treatment but no chemotherapy. There is a school of thought that feels these are small and "precancerous" and there is some evidence that the body will take care of them on their own. I didn't want to take that chance. I am 55 BTW.

I would recommend a biopsy and then you can go on after you get the results but that is between you and your doctor. Feel free to ask questions, this board is a tremendous source of information and support.

Maureen

Hi, I had stage 1 high grade
Hi, I had stage 1 high grade ductal carcinoma in-situ in my left side. lymph nods were not envolved, and they were able to get a clean margin. Then I was recomonded for radiation with my oncologist for 6 weeks. I have 4 weeks left. But I have this question in my mind ; would this be enough for me. ( I mean radiation) an edthen I have to take tamxofin for 5 years. I am concern if this is the best chice for me to do?

What do yo think?

Thanks Neda

Jeanne D

neda said:

Hi, I had stage 1 high grade
Hi, I had stage 1 high grade ductal carcinoma in-situ in my left side. lymph nods were not envolved, and they were able to get a clean margin. Then I was recomonded for radiation with my oncologist for 6 weeks. I have 4 weeks left. But I have this question in my mind ; would this be enough for me. ( I mean radiation) an edthen I have to take tamxofin for 5 years. I am concern if this is the best chice for me to do?

What do yo think?

Thanks Neda

Neda
I have stage 1, ductal and invasive carcinoma in situ and clean margins also. And, my MRI showed up nothing new in either breast. I am to take 37 radiation treatments and tamoxifen for 5 years after the radiation treatments. That was my oncologist's recommendation too. My tumor was only .8 centimeter's and they don't recommend chemo for a tumor that small and at the stage it was with clean margins. I feel I am doing everything I can. But, if you are still worried, you need to go talk to your oncologist or get another or second opinion. This is your life Neda, don't be hesitant in asking for help or getting your questions answered. OK? Let us know how you do!

Kristin N

fachem said:

microcalcifications
jeanne...hi ...thanks for the prayers ..need them...and will keep praying for you too......my son said....the lord does answer "KNEE MAILS"....so i will bend at the knee for all.....i am leaning towards the biopsy...strongly.......somewhat in denial i guess right now....but i think the surgeon will shed the light on my issues..........wish you the best with the radiation treatments.........i will keep you posted...thanks for answering back...means alot to me...take care and will keep in touch.....trish (fachem)

This is such a good site!
There are so many different postings on here about so many things. This is a terrific site. I had microcalcifications on my Mammogram too and that led to further investigation, which led to my cancer outcome. Just sorry for the reason that we all are here.

fachem

microcalcs
hi all....thanks to all who responded to me from my last post..this is such a great thing to be able to share.....feel lost sometimes between reality and denial......as i share i grow stronger and feel not so alone.....i believe it is the fear of the unknown that is driving me to have mixed feelings about biopsy or not.......being a nurse makes it more difficult because i am torn between my medical self saying yes and my inner self saying no.......i love life too much to take a gamble so i know somehow i will opt for biopsy...just need to hear it from the surgeon i have an appt with. I will let all of you know what is final.......thanks for all the prayers...they help and help lessen my anxiety........will keep praying for all...i truly believe that those of you are more fortunate than i am because you know what you face with your diagnosis and you can address it accordingly and value life more..hopefully i will make the right choice..thank you for your support.....trish.......

Kristin N

fachem said:

microcalcs
hi all....thanks to all who responded to me from my last post..this is such a great thing to be able to share.....feel lost sometimes between reality and denial......as i share i grow stronger and feel not so alone.....i believe it is the fear of the unknown that is driving me to have mixed feelings about biopsy or not.......being a nurse makes it more difficult because i am torn between my medical self saying yes and my inner self saying no.......i love life too much to take a gamble so i know somehow i will opt for biopsy...just need to hear it from the surgeon i have an appt with. I will let all of you know what is final.......thanks for all the prayers...they help and help lessen my anxiety........will keep praying for all...i truly believe that those of you are more fortunate than i am because you know what you face with your diagnosis and you can address it accordingly and value life more..hopefully i will make the right choice..thank you for your support.....trish.......

When do you see the surgeon?
When do you see the surgeon? Please let us know Trish. A biopsy doesn't really hurt. There are so many kinds. Just a needle, or a core biopsy, which is what I had. As a nurse, you should know this. The only fear is of the unknown. So, find out..ok? HUGS!

p.s. and, don't you have an oncologist to guide you thru this or a primary doctor? someone should be helping you with this, someone in the medical field.

fachem

Kristin N said:

When do you see the surgeon?
When do you see the surgeon? Please let us know Trish. A biopsy doesn't really hurt. There are so many kinds. Just a needle, or a core biopsy, which is what I had. As a nurse, you should know this. The only fear is of the unknown. So, find out..ok? HUGS!

p.s. and, don't you have an oncologist to guide you thru this or a primary doctor? someone should be helping you with this, someone in the medical field.

microcalcifiations
kristin....hi...thank you for the hugs...hug back to you.......i see the surgeon 4/14 or 4/15 at 3 pm..i can go either day....i am being followed by my pcp and pa who i see every three months for cholesterol screening.......i know a biopsy is really painless...i had a root canal and had to go three times before it was done...if i can weather that... a biopsy is a piece of cake..i truly believe it is the results i fear........being a nurse makes it worse.....more knowledge sometimes is not good...lol.....they want to do a sterotactic vacumn assited biopsy....not bad at all......the second opinion i received from another breast center said i had time but should.. have it done within 2 months.........i am ok time wise..........thank you for your concern and thoughts ...greatly appreciated always.......
will keep you posted.........happy april 1st to all......trish

fachem

microcalcs
hey all..it is me (trish) well...saw the surgeon 4/14/2009. he sat with me for about 20 minutes after a breast exam...the exam revealed nothing palpable.....he took a through history and explained the films......here is what he told me..........right breast ok nothing...left breast.....something and called it..indeterminate...he said i am in the middle where they do not know what they are looking at........he deals with breast issues everyday.........he said he would know definitely if it were malignant because it would look at him straight up the say way a benign calc would.....this case he cannot tell so he recommends a stero biopsy......i asked him the same question i asked my pcp, pa, other breast cebter and rad...question was......if this years film mirrored last year being same location size etc would they do biopsy...he said no.......so i am still confused but i am calling on friday to schedule a biopsy.......he said if not begnign it could be dcis and they treat with lupectomy and radiation..he said wait until report comes back odds are 80 to 20 begnign...will keep u posted...hugs all...trish

Jeanne D

fachem said:

microcalcs
hey all..it is me (trish) well...saw the surgeon 4/14/2009. he sat with me for about 20 minutes after a breast exam...the exam revealed nothing palpable.....he took a through history and explained the films......here is what he told me..........right breast ok nothing...left breast.....something and called it..indeterminate...he said i am in the middle where they do not know what they are looking at........he deals with breast issues everyday.........he said he would know definitely if it were malignant because it would look at him straight up the say way a benign calc would.....this case he cannot tell so he recommends a stero biopsy......i asked him the same question i asked my pcp, pa, other breast cebter and rad...question was......if this years film mirrored last year being same location size etc would they do biopsy...he said no.......so i am still confused but i am calling on friday to schedule a biopsy.......he said if not begnign it could be dcis and they treat with lupectomy and radiation..he said wait until report comes back odds are 80 to 20 begnign...will keep u posted...hugs all...trish

Good luck! I am glad that
Good luck! I am glad that you are going to have the biopsy..just to be sure. I had the ultrasound guided core biopsy..no big deal. But, it did tell me I had dcis and invasive ductal carcinoma. Let us know!

Sunny10

Microcalcifications
I am new to the site. Have two clusters of microcalcs bilaterally, birad 4 had bilateral biopsies on April 14th, and now doing the waiting game. Good Luck everyone!

Jeanne D

Sunny10 said:

Microcalcifications
I am new to the site. Have two clusters of microcalcs bilaterally, birad 4 had bilateral biopsies on April 14th, and now doing the waiting game. Good Luck everyone!

Waiting for? The results?
Waiting for? The results? When will you find out? Please let us know. And, I didn't wait until THEY decided to call me. I called the very next day for the results. The doctor got the results the very next day after the biopsy. I couldn't stand to wait..I needed to know.

Sunny10

Waiting for a callback on the results
You are right, I think I am just afraid of the outcome... so I called the doctors office and am now waiting for a callback so I should know soon. Hoping for the best.

fachem

microcalcs
hi jeanne and sunny.........jeanne......yes i am glad to i decided to biopsy i am just waiting for a call on date and will keep you posted...i am more at ease doing this and more at ease with what ever the outcome is because i was able to speak with a woman who has experienced dcis radiation etc........her outlook like yours jeanne is so positive........she kept insisting dont think fatal think cure.....thank you jeanne for your thoughts.and encouragement means alot.......

sunny...good luck with yoru results..please let us know...this site is so great to share...

all take care and hugs to all......nite ...trish

Sunny10

fachem said:

microcalcs
hi jeanne and sunny.........jeanne......yes i am glad to i decided to biopsy i am just waiting for a call on date and will keep you posted...i am more at ease doing this and more at ease with what ever the outcome is because i was able to speak with a woman who has experienced dcis radiation etc........her outlook like yours jeanne is so positive........she kept insisting dont think fatal think cure.....thank you jeanne for your thoughts.and encouragement means alot.......

sunny...good luck with yoru results..please let us know...this site is so great to share...

all take care and hugs to all......nite ...trish

Microcalcifications all biopsies Benign!
Just wanted to let you know that my biopsy results are all BENIGN! Wahoo!!! Trish, Good Luck! I hope you and other at this point are as fortunate as I am!!!! I go back to the surgeon for follow up in a month and have a large hematoma from the biopsy but that's a piece of cake compared to what I could be and other are facing. May you all be cancer free soon! You see life in a whole new light when you have had a even a possible cancer diagnosis. We have our American Cancer Society Relay for Life her soon, so this has given my fund raising even more importance. I will be Relaying for a cure, hopefully soon. Sunny

Christmas Girl

Thank you, Kathy!
I'm fairly new to this site, a little over a week now. Thank YOU, Kathy - and also to ALL the very wise BC-educated folks who responded to your original post (way back on 1/31, way before I got here). I thought I knew about & understood this subject. Although this is not a big issue for me, personally (well, at least not yet!) - I am now so very grateful for all that I have learned here.

The breast cancer learning curve - unfortunately - never ends, does it?

Thanks, again.

Kind regards, Susan

Christmas Girl

Sunny10 said:

Microcalcifications all biopsies Benign!
Just wanted to let you know that my biopsy results are all BENIGN! Wahoo!!! Trish, Good Luck! I hope you and other at this point are as fortunate as I am!!!! I go back to the surgeon for follow up in a month and have a large hematoma from the biopsy but that's a piece of cake compared to what I could be and other are facing. May you all be cancer free soon! You see life in a whole new light when you have had a even a possible cancer diagnosis. We have our American Cancer Society Relay for Life her soon, so this has given my fund raising even more importance. I will be Relaying for a cure, hopefully soon. Sunny

Congratulations, Sunny!
Fabulous news! - and, thanks so much for sharing! I'm celebrating with you! Heartfelt hopes for your continued good health!

And, best of luck with your upcoming local ACS Relay for Life. I've been to 2 of them, so far: first one, as a survivor guest - the second, as a participant. Annually, I do the ACS Making Strides Against Breast Cancer awareness & fund-raising walk. This coming October will be my 6th. It's a great feeling to "give back" knowing that these types of efforts are meant to work towards a cancer-free future for all.

Kind regards, Susan

fachem

microcalcs
hi all...hope all is well and getting there.....sunny...wow.....great news bilateral and not bc...great news and very happy for you......well have my biopsy scheduled for may 1, 2009...may day so i am all prepared or so i think.......i have a sense of freedom so called.....i believe i have made it past that i can't believe it is happening to me state and have transitioned to the yes it is happening and get with the program state.....this site and others have helped me in self education concerning bc, mamos and by new best friend my linear grouped microcalcifications....lol......i am feeling more confident about my decision to go ahead with the biopsy and have prepared myself for both a good and not so good outcome.
my dear friend and i have been communicating the past few weeks more so than before...she is great and said to me tonight....." trish.....you sat thru 2hrs of three sessions for a root canal...6 hrs of discomfort and anxiety to save ONE TOOTH.....I think you can deal with an hr to an hr and 1/2 of a boob biopsy to save your life..make sense and you even get th eday off from work".....I had to laugh but true words.....if I can save a tooth and tolerate all the pain that goes with a root canal I think I can do this biopsy........she is right..forget the tooth save the life....!!!!!! just wanted to thank all for their time and encouragement. I truly believe it is not the waiting for the biopsy and the reults that are getting to me , it is the delay I allowed in gettign the biopsy...well better late than never..pray for me and I will do the same for you all......hugs and lots of love....trish......will keep you posted....