Biopsy of calcifications?????
Thanks, Valerie
Comments
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Micro vs. macro
Hi, Valerie -
I also had a biopsy because of calcifications seen on my mammogram. I'm no expert, but, from what my gynecologist explained to me at the time and from what I've read:
The key difference is between macrocalcifications and microcalcifications. Macrocalcifications can just be a normal part of aging, are not usually found in clusters, and are commonly found in mammograms of older women (though I don't know exactly what "older" means). Microcalcifications can be tumors when they cluster in particular kinds of patterns that radiologists are on the lookout for.
Because I was only 40, it was unlikely that my calcifications were just normal aging, so that's a big part of why the radiologist wanted to err on the side of caution, and biopsy them. Do you know what type of biopsy you're having?
Traci0 -
I had microcalcificationsTraciInLA said:Micro vs. macro
Hi, Valerie -
I also had a biopsy because of calcifications seen on my mammogram. I'm no expert, but, from what my gynecologist explained to me at the time and from what I've read:
The key difference is between macrocalcifications and microcalcifications. Macrocalcifications can just be a normal part of aging, are not usually found in clusters, and are commonly found in mammograms of older women (though I don't know exactly what "older" means). Microcalcifications can be tumors when they cluster in particular kinds of patterns that radiologists are on the lookout for.
Because I was only 40, it was unlikely that my calcifications were just normal aging, so that's a big part of why the radiologist wanted to err on the side of caution, and biopsy them. Do you know what type of biopsy you're having?
Traci
I had microcalcifications that showed up on the mammo. My doctor then sent me for an ultrasound guided core biopsy which showed I had bc.
Wishing you good luck with your biopsy! Praying it is clean!
Hugs, Megan0 -
Yes
Tracey did a good job of explaining the why. I had my first mammo at 35 b/c of strong family history. I felt something at 39 and had another. There was a cluster of calcifications that wasn't on the first one. They biopsed and it was DCIS.
Good luck, vchildbeloved. Keep us posted on what you find out.0 -
Thanks for your reply Traci.TraciInLA said:Micro vs. macro
Hi, Valerie -
I also had a biopsy because of calcifications seen on my mammogram. I'm no expert, but, from what my gynecologist explained to me at the time and from what I've read:
The key difference is between macrocalcifications and microcalcifications. Macrocalcifications can just be a normal part of aging, are not usually found in clusters, and are commonly found in mammograms of older women (though I don't know exactly what "older" means). Microcalcifications can be tumors when they cluster in particular kinds of patterns that radiologists are on the lookout for.
Because I was only 40, it was unlikely that my calcifications were just normal aging, so that's a big part of why the radiologist wanted to err on the side of caution, and biopsy them. Do you know what type of biopsy you're having?
Traci
Thanks for your reply Traci. I don't know what kind it is, but I will definitely ask.
Valerie0 -
I'm sorry, I new at thisDawne.Hope said:Yes
Tracey did a good job of explaining the why. I had my first mammo at 35 b/c of strong family history. I felt something at 39 and had another. There was a cluster of calcifications that wasn't on the first one. They biopsed and it was DCIS.
Good luck, vchildbeloved. Keep us posted on what you find out.
I'm sorry, I new at this particular situation, but what is DCIS? Thank you for caring. I will let you know.0 -
DCISvchildbeloved said:I'm sorry, I new at this
I'm sorry, I new at this particular situation, but what is DCIS? Thank you for caring. I will let you know.
D(uctal) C(arcinoma) I(n) S(itu)
Depending on the onocologist, it is cancer in the earliest stages or 'pre-cancer.' It is cancer in the mammory ducts, but it hasn't spread outside the ducts.0 -
Valerie,
I had
Valerie,
I had calcifications that they watched closely for over a year. I had bilaterals in January of this year. The biopsy had shown that it was now DCIS. months out now and doing great..this was my aunt's exact cancer and she has been cancer free for 13 years. When my mother had her first cancer in '71, she had to find it herself...the changes in technology and the early detections are a plus for us now.
good luck on all of this.
Brenda0 -
I think that I'm gettingThird_Generation said:Valerie,
I had
Valerie,
I had calcifications that they watched closely for over a year. I had bilaterals in January of this year. The biopsy had shown that it was now DCIS. months out now and doing great..this was my aunt's exact cancer and she has been cancer free for 13 years. When my mother had her first cancer in '71, she had to find it herself...the changes in technology and the early detections are a plus for us now.
good luck on all of this.
Brenda
I think that I'm getting more freaked over the biopsy itself than the calcifications from listening to some. The doctor did not say whether there were a lot, but that they were in one area.0 -
Oh, do I know how you feel.vchildbeloved said:I think that I'm getting
I think that I'm getting more freaked over the biopsy itself than the calcifications from listening to some. The doctor did not say whether there were a lot, but that they were in one area.
It was a year ago tomorrow that I got the word that the biopsy showed breast cancer. My annual mammos always showed large, individual calcifications (I nursed children for a total of 4 years) that never changed. Then last spring ('09) the radiologist detected a cluster of MICROcalcifications. It sounds like this is what your situation is.
I researched a lot on what the core biopsy was and it sounded barbaric. And it is, I guess. But necessary. And with the right amount of anesthetic, mine was very tolerable. Strange, barbaric, but tolerable. I had put it off for about a month in order to do research. By the time I got the word from the doctor's office that she wanted to see me that afternoon, I already knew she would tell me it was breast cancer. I was hoping it would be DCIS. What I didn't like hearing was that it was stage 3, meaning fast-growing and aggressive. But the cells hadn't invaded tissue outside of the ducts.... yet. Whew.
I went bonkers for about a month, until I could have the surgery. It seemed like there was delay after delay, hold up after hold up, doctors on vacation when results were coming in, frustration after frustration. I never felt so helpless and unable to take action on my own, in my life. I'm betting that is how you feel. Please know that it DOES get better. And posting here, where we understand what you're going through and where you can ask questions of veterans, will help!
Because I had DCIS in only one location (determined after an MRI of breasts), I chose to have a lumpectomy followed by brachytherapy radiation (only 5 days long). As I said, tomorrow is my one year 'cancerversary'. All is well. I hope the same for you.
~~Connie~~0 -
Me too
Hi there,
I had a routine mammo and they saw calcifications.
They gave me the choice of doing a mammo every six months to keep an eye on it or do a biopsy.
I have severe needle phobia so I was leaning towards the mammo route.
Thank God I opted for the biopsy.
While they are in there they don't just biopsy the calcifications, they check areas that don't show up on mammogram.
The calcifictions turned out to be nothing.
However, if I hadn't done the biopsies, I would have found about my DCIS form of breast cancer too late.
DCIS doesn't show up on mammo until it's in an advanced stage.
So I say do it. If I hadn't, five years from now I'd been in a much worse situation.
xxoo,
SamuraiMom0 -
More micro info
From www.dcis.info: Microcalcifications — tiny specks of calcium in the breast — are very common and are usually benign. However, DCIS appears as microcalcifications on a mammogram. While microcalcifications are not DCIS, they can be an indication that DCIS is present. Mammograms cannot diagnose DCIS; only a biopsy can do that.
In different years, I had microcalcifications that were benign and micros that were DCIS.
All the best to you, Valerie, and hoping your biopsy is benign.0 -
Valerie-don't hesitate to
Valerie-don't hesitate to have the biopsy. My calcifications were positive in 2001. I had lumpectomy, 36 rads, Tamox and then in 2009 a recurrance in the same breast. Again calcifications turned out positive as well as small invasive tumor found. I have had bilateral mast with Latissimus flap reconstruction. I still have several procedures to finish with reconstruction but am very grateful both times it was found early enough to be successful (so far--never very far off my mind about another recurrance) Take care. Marilyn0 -
Thanks Marilyn. I hear youmarilyndbk said:Valerie-don't hesitate to
Valerie-don't hesitate to have the biopsy. My calcifications were positive in 2001. I had lumpectomy, 36 rads, Tamox and then in 2009 a recurrance in the same breast. Again calcifications turned out positive as well as small invasive tumor found. I have had bilateral mast with Latissimus flap reconstruction. I still have several procedures to finish with reconstruction but am very grateful both times it was found early enough to be successful (so far--never very far off my mind about another recurrance) Take care. Marilyn
Thanks Marilyn. I hear you loud and clear. I won't hesitate again. Best to you!
Valerie0 -
Praying that your biopsyvchildbeloved said:Thanks Marilyn. I hear you
Thanks Marilyn. I hear you loud and clear. I won't hesitate again. Best to you!
Valerie
Praying that your biopsy will be benign Valerie!
Sue
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Me too
I had a microcalcification biopsied. The calcification wasn't cancer, but they often form near fast growing cells (read cancer). Sure enough, some weird cells (atypical ductal hyperplasia) showed up, that led to a lumpectomy, that eventually led to a diagnosis of actual breast cancer. I was sure I was a goner. I was totally strung out, not knowing if I had a month or a year left to live. That was back in 2002.Obviously I had more than a year left to live. Since then I have learned that I was actually very very lucky. Because we biopsied and played it "safe" with all those exploratory surgeries, my cancer was caught very very early. It turned out to be the sort that needed surgery and tamoxifen. My doctors recommended no chemo--my cancer wasn't that aggressive and the tamoxifen had a great chance of preventing a reoccurance. I had lots of follow up visits and still go once a year for a clinical breast check with my mamo, but so far so good when it comes to breast cancer. I hope your biopsy is negative (no cancer at all), but if not don't panic like I did. You have nothing showing on the mamogram right now except the calcifications. So if anything actually turns up in the area, you are catching it early too. And that's the best way to find cancer (even if it seems like a strange kind of good luck!).0 -
Thanks, that's a reallycabbott said:Me too
I had a microcalcification biopsied. The calcification wasn't cancer, but they often form near fast growing cells (read cancer). Sure enough, some weird cells (atypical ductal hyperplasia) showed up, that led to a lumpectomy, that eventually led to a diagnosis of actual breast cancer. I was sure I was a goner. I was totally strung out, not knowing if I had a month or a year left to live. That was back in 2002.Obviously I had more than a year left to live. Since then I have learned that I was actually very very lucky. Because we biopsied and played it "safe" with all those exploratory surgeries, my cancer was caught very very early. It turned out to be the sort that needed surgery and tamoxifen. My doctors recommended no chemo--my cancer wasn't that aggressive and the tamoxifen had a great chance of preventing a reoccurance. I had lots of follow up visits and still go once a year for a clinical breast check with my mamo, but so far so good when it comes to breast cancer. I hope your biopsy is negative (no cancer at all), but if not don't panic like I did. You have nothing showing on the mamogram right now except the calcifications. So if anything actually turns up in the area, you are catching it early too. And that's the best way to find cancer (even if it seems like a strange kind of good luck!).
Thanks, that's a really great post, very comforting! Will let you know how it goes.
Best wishes to you.
Valerie0 -
Hoping and praying that youvchildbeloved said:Thanks, that's a really
Thanks, that's a really great post, very comforting! Will let you know how it goes.
Best wishes to you.
Valerie
Hoping and praying that you hear the word Benign!
HUGS!0 -
Valerie, I hadsurvivorbc09 said:Hoping and praying that you
Hoping and praying that you hear the word Benign!
HUGS!
Valerie, I had calcifications that were also biopsied last year; the result was DCIS diagnosis. I am very grateful that it was caught early. I am hoping that
you will get a good report back. I understand what you are going through. My thoughts & prayers are with you. Let us know your results!0 -
I too hadTux said:Valerie, I had
Valerie, I had calcifications that were also biopsied last year; the result was DCIS diagnosis. I am very grateful that it was caught early. I am hoping that
you will get a good report back. I understand what you are going through. My thoughts & prayers are with you. Let us know your results!
I too had microcalicifications that proved to be bc after I had the core needle biopsy. I am grateful too that it was seen on the mammo, as, mammograms save so many of our lives.
Sending you prayers and positive thoughts.
♥ Noel0 -
Please post to let us knowvchildbeloved said:Thanks, that's a really
Thanks, that's a really great post, very comforting! Will let you know how it goes.
Best wishes to you.
Valerie
Please post to let us know how your biopsy goes Valerie! Good luck!
Lex♥0
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