Microcalcifications

terri805 said:

Thanks
Thanks to all you ladies for the encouraging words. It really has helped me to be more positive. I am a worrier by nature and it is quite overwhelming. I am still reeling from the news. My family has actually been nicer to me since hearing "the news". I have b/g twins that are 16 (teens are difficult) and a 20 yr old who has shown loads of support. I received a call from my gp after posting my bad news yesterday. He told me that there was bad and good news. The bad being I have cancer and the good being that it is insitu ductal carcinoma and that it is considered a localized cancer. He said the report stated that it is 5 milimeters oblong and is a nuclear grade 2. I have been trying to read about this to see where I stand. Is there anyone on here with like or similiar situations? I was wondering how they can tell how big the tumor is if they can't actually see the tumor itself on imaging? and how can they tell if it is localized? I am new to the Boulder, CO area and I don't know a soul here to ask for dr. referrals. Is there anyone on this site that is from this area that can give me advice on where to go for treatment? My gp has given me the name of a surgeon and an oncologist but it would be nice to hear from someone who has actually had treatment in this area. As most of us I want to get the best possible care but don't know where to go.Thanks again for all your help and support.

Hi again, Terri. I was
Hi again, Terri. I was diagnosed with ductal carcinoma in situ. Same thing as yours. It was noticed on an annual mammogram. What the radiologist saw was a bunch of 'microcalcifications'. I have many, larger, spots of calcifications throughout both breasts that have shown up and been stable for years and they do not indicate cancer. However, a cluster of microcalcifications is different. When out of control cells grow quickly and die off (necrosis), they leave behind some...garbage: small calcium granuales, otherwise called microcalcifications. They show up nicely on mammograms. They don't always indicate cancer, so I was asked to have a biopsy done. They took chunks of breast tissue around the area where they saw calcifications and tested them. From looking at them through a microscope and staining them with special chemicals, the radiologist could tell they were, for me, grade 3 or high, meaning my cells were growing really fast and mutating away from being breast ductal tissue.

All of this is important information to have when you are talking about what treatments you may need. I guess the size of your lesion was estimated from the area covered with microcalcifications. Good news: 5 mm is very small and a sign it was caught early enough for you to have an excellent future without further breast cancer! I'm again guessing, from my experience, that it will be suggested that you have a lumpectomy and radiation. No sentinal node biopsies or chemo. If I may make a suggestion: look into accelerated partial breast radiation. I had it and it makes the whole cancer experience shorter and easier!

One heads-up to you. You may have to undergo further tests before any treatment plan is attempted. With DCIS, the docs like to be sure it isn't lurking anywhere else before they begin surgery, so you may be asked to have an MRI done of both breasts. Don't panic. They just want to be sure you only have the one spot of it! But having to put off a treatment plan is maddeningly frustrating! As the other women here can tell you, you will feel more in control and less anxiety when you have a treatment plan and dates set for treatments! Try to remember how strong you are and remember to breathe, and also to EXHALE! You'll be fine!\
Connie

TraciInLA said:

Memory a little fuzzy now
Terri,

In the left breast, I had a distinct mass -- the ultrasound showed it to be 4 mm, but it ended up being only 2 mm in surgery.

I had clusters of microcalcifications in the right breast, and I don't remember the surgeon or oncologist talking about tumors or size until after the surgery, when the pathology report showed that I had 3 tumors there, all 2 mm, 2 invasive and 1 DCIS. They may have had an estimate of how big and how many within the microcalcifications before the surgery, but I didn't know enough to ask.

I didn't find this site until after my surgery, or I sure would have known a lot more!

Traci

Sending lots of prayers and
Sending lots of prayers and positive thoughts to you Terri.

Hugs, Diane ♥

DianeBC said:

Hi Terri
I had a lumpectomy Terri, but, everyone is so different. I could have enjoyed the holidays even with mine. But, that was just me. It depends on the tumor, size, location, your plastic surgeon and a lot more. So, I can't speak for you. I think as someone else wrote, you don't know exactly what you are dealing with until after the surgery, and, then your pathology report tells you the size of your tumor, grade, stage and if it is ER or PR positive or negative and other things. I wish you the best of luck and I wish I could help you more, but, we are all so individual that I can't say how you will be. God Bless you!

Hugs, Diane ♥

me too
Like Diane said: I could have done that without a problem but everyone is different. I had DCIS and I could have waited (you could too) physically but I'm sure that I could have mentally. I wanted it OUT!!!!

Maureen

terri805 said:

saw the surgeon today
I was able to get an appointment with the surgeon today after getting the bad news on Friday. I headed there with a positive attitude and ready to take on whatever I need to do but after leaving his office I am now down once again.I thought that the pathologist report was exactly what is going on that the dx is what it said. The path report had me thinking that the area to be removed was 5cm and the Dr said no that 5cm was the size of the biopsy specimen and after looking at the films he estimated that the calcium area is more like 2cm. He also said that one never really knows for sure anything until the lumpectomy is done and sent to pathology. The path report said insiti ductal carcinoma,nuclear grade 2. The Dr. said that is what they think but once again not sure until the surgery and pathology on the tissue removed has been done. Wow! now I am worried all over again thinking what if it is worse that report states? I am going for an MRI hopefully within a few days. I want to get the surgery over with as soon as possible. The Dr. said I could wait until after Christmas but I don't think I want to. For those of you that have had a lumpectomy do you think it would be ok to have it done on the Monday before Christmas or would I be too sore to enjoy the holiday with my family? Any input on the pathology report and the actual findings?

Try not to worry. I know
Try not to worry. I know that is easier said than done, but, it won't do you any good. Good luck with your MRI. Let us know your results. I wish I could answer about if you would be ok by xmas if you have the surgery, but, I really don't know. Take care!

Lex♥

terri805 said:

Surgery Thursday
I went for the MRI today and got the results back a couple hours later. They did not see any other calcification's or concerns other than what the mammograms showed. I am scheduled fora lumpectomy on Thursday and I pray nothing more is found besides the insiti ductal carcinoma,nuclear grade 2. Also got the receptor report back today, progesterone 99% positive and estrogen 40% positive. Does anyone know what these receptors mean? I am emotionally drained after finding out that I have cancer this past Friday and I just want to move forward now and get rid of "the beast" inside me.

Try to explain some of it
It means that you are ER and PR +, which means your bc feeds off of your estrogen. So, your oncologist will probably put you on some hormone therapy treatment like Tamoxifen or Al's after your surgery and/or rads and chemo. Good luck Thursday!

Hugs, Diane ♥