Have suspicious calcifications should I have the wire biopsy done. Already had the needle biopsy.

LaurieMal
LaurieMal Member Posts: 10
edited March 2014 in Breast Cancer #1
I recently found that I have microcalcifications and was told I should have a wire biopsy. They did the needle biopsy but were not able to determine if it was cancer or not...only that they were suspicious. Has anyone had the wire biopsy and does it leave a noticeable change in your breast? I am very small and concerned about having a biopsy for calcifications which I have heard turn out to be benign most of the time. I have to make a decision rather quickly so any advice would be appreciated.
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Comments

  • webbwife50
    webbwife50 Member Posts: 394
    #2
    Doc talk
    It sounds like you need to have a discussion with you doc about all of this. You have to weigh the risk, and you cancer doc should be having that dicussion before you make any decisions. Maybe a second opinion would be of help..God bless and lots of hugs....alison
  • DianeBC
    DianeBC Member Posts: 3,881 Member
    #3
    I had an ultrasound guided
    I had an ultrasound guided core needle biopsy which showed I had breast cancer. I am not sure what a wire biopsy is. Can you describe it?

    It would be best to write down all of your questions and go over this with your plastic surgeon and oncologist thoroughly.


    Good luck!
  • joannstar
    joannstar Member Posts: 403 Member
    #4
    talk to your onc/surgeon
    about your concerns. I had microcalcifications that proved to be Stage 1 BC. I had a stereotactic biopsy which determined that and then a lumpectomy. They had to go back in to get clean margins, so I had 2 surgeries. My lymph nodes were negative. Because I am a triple negative, I have to have chemo (6 treatments of Taxotere and Cytosan) and 33 sessions of radiation. I've had 4 of the chemo treatments so far and while not pleasant, they are do-able.
    I did a lot of research online (although I was told to be careful about what sites I went to). It seemed to me that microcalcifications were frequently cancerous but that the macrocalcifications weren't (how I wished that I was macro rather than micro). Ask questions, nothing is too trivial--it is your health and if you don't understand something, ask!!
    Good luck to you.
    Hugs,
    JoAnn
  • LaurieMal
    LaurieMal Member Posts: 10
    #5
    webbwife50 said:

    Doc talk
    It sounds like you need to have a discussion with you doc about all of this. You have to weigh the risk, and you cancer doc should be having that dicussion before you make any decisions. Maybe a second opinion would be of help..God bless and lots of hugs....alison

    Thanks I did talk to the
    Thanks I did talk to the doctor a second one this morning. She said she just had a patient that did not do it and it turned out to be cancerous. I have had really bad luck with doctors and am hesistant. 2 botched hernia surgeries from different doctors and on the biopsy I just had they took a chunk of skin out accidentally when they looked away and the vacuum caught it...so you can see my reluctance around doctors and trusting what they say. I really want to speak to someone that has had the actual wire biopsy done and see how they felt and if they had any changes or abnormality after the procedure. Thanks for your support.
  • LaurieMal
    LaurieMal Member Posts: 10
    #6
    DianeBC said:

    I had an ultrasound guided
    I had an ultrasound guided core needle biopsy which showed I had breast cancer. I am not sure what a wire biopsy is. Can you describe it?

    It would be best to write down all of your questions and go over this with your plastic surgeon and oncologist thoroughly.


    Good luck!

    Thanks. The Wire biopsy is
    Thanks. The Wire biopsy is because the calcifications are so small they put a wire through your breast and attach it the metal clip (already inserted from the needle biopsy) and tie it to that. Its the only way they can locate the calcifications to remove that tissue since they are so small they can not be seen. Thanks.
  • LaurieMal
    LaurieMal Member Posts: 10
    #7
    joannstar said:

    talk to your onc/surgeon
    about your concerns. I had microcalcifications that proved to be Stage 1 BC. I had a stereotactic biopsy which determined that and then a lumpectomy. They had to go back in to get clean margins, so I had 2 surgeries. My lymph nodes were negative. Because I am a triple negative, I have to have chemo (6 treatments of Taxotere and Cytosan) and 33 sessions of radiation. I've had 4 of the chemo treatments so far and while not pleasant, they are do-able.
    I did a lot of research online (although I was told to be careful about what sites I went to). It seemed to me that microcalcifications were frequently cancerous but that the macrocalcifications weren't (how I wished that I was macro rather than micro). Ask questions, nothing is too trivial--it is your health and if you don't understand something, ask!!
    Good luck to you.
    Hugs,
    JoAnn

    Thanks so much. I have
    Thanks so much. I have Microcalcifications too but they are small just one centimeter they say. So, what I hear you saying is that it is probably worth it to have the wire biopsy. They did a stereotactic and could not determine if they were cancerous because the samples were not large enough. Just they they are suspicious. Does the lumpectomy leave an indent? Would it require plastic surgery? I want to know from someone who has been through it rather than from a doctor's point of view. I can't find anything on line about how it may change you physically or to what degree after. Glad you made it through. Best Wishes to you.
    Laurie
  • DebbyM
    DebbyM Member Posts: 3,289 Member
    #8
    LaurieMal said:

    Thanks so much. I have
    Thanks so much. I have Microcalcifications too but they are small just one centimeter they say. So, what I hear you saying is that it is probably worth it to have the wire biopsy. They did a stereotactic and could not determine if they were cancerous because the samples were not large enough. Just they they are suspicious. Does the lumpectomy leave an indent? Would it require plastic surgery? I want to know from someone who has been through it rather than from a doctor's point of view. I can't find anything on line about how it may change you physically or to what degree after. Glad you made it through. Best Wishes to you.
    Laurie

    You have to do what is best
    You have to do what is best for you and what your doctor's recommend. I would want to know whether I had bc or not, so, I would go through any test to find out. If I didn't have bc, I would celebrate. If I did, which I did, I would take whatever treatments were recommended.

    I had a lumpectomy and I only have a very small scar, no indentation at all. My tumor was very small, and, I had a fantastic plastic surgeon. It is actually hard to even see it now.

    But, we are all different and this varies with each individual.

    Good luck with your decision.
  • LaurieMal
    LaurieMal Member Posts: 10
    #9
    DebbyM said:

    You have to do what is best
    You have to do what is best for you and what your doctor's recommend. I would want to know whether I had bc or not, so, I would go through any test to find out. If I didn't have bc, I would celebrate. If I did, which I did, I would take whatever treatments were recommended.

    I had a lumpectomy and I only have a very small scar, no indentation at all. My tumor was very small, and, I had a fantastic plastic surgeon. It is actually hard to even see it now.

    But, we are all different and this varies with each individual.

    Good luck with your decision.

    Thanks for your input. Do
    Thanks for your input. Do you by chance live in Atlanta and have the name of that plastic surgeon?
  • crselby
    crselby Member Posts: 441 Member
    #10
    Hi Laurie. This is a hard
    Hi Laurie. This is a hard time, making decisions, doing research, and all. And just not knowing what's going on. Stay calm and positive.

    I too have had botched surgeries (gall bladder and bunions) so I am skiddish of doctors. I had a jerk radiologist do my stereotactic core needle biopsy (SCNB). My biopsy showed definite cancer, DCIS. But I found an awesome female breast surgeon (Phoenix AZ), not near but worth the 45 minute drive to see her. She took a huge sample after locating the area with the wire. She cut out the 'clip' left by the SCNB, cut out the tumor, and, per my instructions to "get clean margins no matter how much you have to cut", cut out a total of 10 centimeters (not millimeters) of tissue.

    My breasts are different from yours, they are large and soft. The scar is small and barely noticeable. But one breast is smaller than the other, not noticable with clothes on! No dent, though, but my tissue is, as I said, soft.

    Hope this gives you something to go on. Please let me know how it all turns out. Fingers crossed!
    ~~Connie~~
  • missrenee
    missrenee Member Posts: 2,136 Member
    #11
    LaurieMal said:

    Thanks for your input. Do
    Thanks for your input. Do you by chance live in Atlanta and have the name of that plastic surgeon?

    Laurie--I can only give you my story
    I had microcalcifications in my left breast at 5 O'clock right up against the chest wall. They could not do the stereotactic biopsy because of the location. They did a biopsy under MRI and then I had the localization wires placed right before my lumpectomy. Had to have two surgeries--for clear margins. Turned out to be Stage 3, grade 3 invasive ductal carcinoma with 10 positive lymph nodes. I never felt a lump or anything. In fact, a routine mammo only 3 months before was read as "normal." I am not trying to frighten you in any way, but I'd say--better safe than sorry.

    Good luck to you.

    Hugs, Renee
  • Different Ballgame
    Different Ballgame Member Posts: 868
    #12
    Size does not make a difference
    Cancer is cancer. Size does not make a difference. Most people who have calcifications are cancer free. Then there are others, like me, who had 1 calcification that was cancer. Wire does guide the surgeon to the calcification site so surgeon can be in the correct spot to get clear margins.

    I certainly understand your concerns about more surgery. So....what kind of surgeon do you have? If the surgeon is a general surgeon, find an oncology surgeon who specializes in breast surgery. Your surgery will be much better since the surgeon is trained specifically for this area of expertise. I do not mean to infer that general surgeons are not qualified, because they are, but oncology surgeons approach the surgery differently.

    In my case, two surgical biopsies yield margins that were not clear. That meant they had to look via a microscope at the breast tissue that was removed to see if there were more cancer cells.

    Cancer has three rates of growth. If cancer is in the 3rd category, it is growing quickly and you need to act quickly. If your cancer is in the first or second growth rate, you have some time to make informed decisions. Time can equate to 2-3 months.

    Lots of Hugs,
    Janelle
  • carkris
    carkris Member Posts: 4,553 Member
    #13
    crselby said:

    Hi Laurie. This is a hard
    Hi Laurie. This is a hard time, making decisions, doing research, and all. And just not knowing what's going on. Stay calm and positive.

    I too have had botched surgeries (gall bladder and bunions) so I am skiddish of doctors. I had a jerk radiologist do my stereotactic core needle biopsy (SCNB). My biopsy showed definite cancer, DCIS. But I found an awesome female breast surgeon (Phoenix AZ), not near but worth the 45 minute drive to see her. She took a huge sample after locating the area with the wire. She cut out the 'clip' left by the SCNB, cut out the tumor, and, per my instructions to "get clean margins no matter how much you have to cut", cut out a total of 10 centimeters (not millimeters) of tissue.

    My breasts are different from yours, they are large and soft. The scar is small and barely noticeable. But one breast is smaller than the other, not noticable with clothes on! No dent, though, but my tissue is, as I said, soft.

    Hope this gives you something to go on. Please let me know how it all turns out. Fingers crossed!
    ~~Connie~~

    I had the wire localization
    I had the wire localization years ago, small dent not bad, but I had large breasts too.
  • Rague
    Rague Member Posts: 3,653 Member
    #14
    It's great to ask questions about other's experiences -
    but remember that we are each unique and what one has been through is not gong to be exactly what you will go through. Ask - gain all the knowledge you can but don't assume that you'll be told exactly what you'll experience - highly unlikely that can happen.
  • sbmly53
    sbmly53 Member Posts: 1,522
    #15
    Laurie
    I'm not sure what you mean by the wire guided biopsy. I had the stereotactic which showed my microcalcifications to be cancer. When I had my surgery, a lumpectomy, it was wire guided. Depending on what they take out, it can make a dent. But, honey, please don't let that be your main concern. This is your life.

    I am not well endowed and when it came to the surgery, I was willing to have a mastectomy to save my life. My lumpectomy makes me 'uneven'. A good bra, a little padding, go a long way.

    Sue
  • sal314
    sal314 Member Posts: 599 Member
    #16
    DO IT!
    I wouldn't take ANY chances. I know that it's kinda scary to think about, but having it turn out to be cancer is even scarer!! You need a definative answer and if the only way to get it is by means of the "wire" biopsy, that's what you should do.

    I'm a nine year BC survivor. I initially had a needle biopsy that came back negative! My doctor didn't like how it "felt" and said it should come out regardless. So, he took it out and it ended up being cancer! Had he not been extra aggressive, I probably wouldn't be here typing this to you!!

    Don't want to freak you out, just want to be honest. It's only my opinion. You have to make your own decisions. Just make sure you make INFORMED decisions and can have peace about them. Don't let "fear" lead you down a worse path.

    Blessings,
    Sally
  • LaurieMal
    LaurieMal Member Posts: 10
    #17
    sbmly53 said:

    Laurie
    I'm not sure what you mean by the wire guided biopsy. I had the stereotactic which showed my microcalcifications to be cancer. When I had my surgery, a lumpectomy, it was wire guided. Depending on what they take out, it can make a dent. But, honey, please don't let that be your main concern. This is your life.

    I am not well endowed and when it came to the surgery, I was willing to have a mastectomy to save my life. My lumpectomy makes me 'uneven'. A good bra, a little padding, go a long way.

    Sue

    Thank you.
    Its a surgical biopsy to take out more tissue. The stereotactic biopsy I had a week ago did not produce samples large enough to test. I guess my main concern is that because I am so small it will show. I know that sounds really bad and I should be more concerned with the results of the biopsy. You are right but can I ask if you can tell the difference after your lumpectomy and was it cancerous?
  • LaurieMal
    LaurieMal Member Posts: 10
    #18
    sal314 said:

    DO IT!
    I wouldn't take ANY chances. I know that it's kinda scary to think about, but having it turn out to be cancer is even scarer!! You need a definative answer and if the only way to get it is by means of the "wire" biopsy, that's what you should do.

    I'm a nine year BC survivor. I initially had a needle biopsy that came back negative! My doctor didn't like how it "felt" and said it should come out regardless. So, he took it out and it ended up being cancer! Had he not been extra aggressive, I probably wouldn't be here typing this to you!!

    Don't want to freak you out, just want to be honest. It's only my opinion. You have to make your own decisions. Just make sure you make INFORMED decisions and can have peace about them. Don't let "fear" lead you down a worse path.

    Blessings,
    Sally

    Thanks Sally. That seems to
    Thanks Sally. That seems to be the consistent message I am getting to have it done. Kudos to you for surviving it and fighting it. It's comforting to hear other people's points of view as opposed to just the point of view from the doctors.
    Laurie
  • LaurieMal
    LaurieMal Member Posts: 10
    #19
    Rague said:

    It's great to ask questions about other's experiences -
    but remember that we are each unique and what one has been through is not gong to be exactly what you will go through. Ask - gain all the knowledge you can but don't assume that you'll be told exactly what you'll experience - highly unlikely that can happen.

    You are soo right..about
    You are soo right..about that. It has not yet but the message is consistent not to take chances.
  • LaurieMal
    LaurieMal Member Posts: 10
    #20
    Different Ballgame said:

    Size does not make a difference
    Cancer is cancer. Size does not make a difference. Most people who have calcifications are cancer free. Then there are others, like me, who had 1 calcification that was cancer. Wire does guide the surgeon to the calcification site so surgeon can be in the correct spot to get clear margins.

    I certainly understand your concerns about more surgery. So....what kind of surgeon do you have? If the surgeon is a general surgeon, find an oncology surgeon who specializes in breast surgery. Your surgery will be much better since the surgeon is trained specifically for this area of expertise. I do not mean to infer that general surgeons are not qualified, because they are, but oncology surgeons approach the surgery differently.

    In my case, two surgical biopsies yield margins that were not clear. That meant they had to look via a microscope at the breast tissue that was removed to see if there were more cancer cells.

    Cancer has three rates of growth. If cancer is in the 3rd category, it is growing quickly and you need to act quickly. If your cancer is in the first or second growth rate, you have some time to make informed decisions. Time can equate to 2-3 months.

    Lots of Hugs,
    Janelle

    Hi Janelle,
    It is a facility
    Hi Janelle,
    It is a facility that specializes in Breast Cancer. That is all they do. My needle biopsy was not enough tissue to be analyzed either so that is why they have to do the surgical biopsy I just dont want to continue to be cut open if they are not able to find anything in this next one and then have to go back in. This place is supposed to be one of the best in the area but I have a general fear of doctors. Thanks for your support. I definitely have more questions for the doctor now.
    Best wishes to you,
    Laurie
  • LaurieMal
    LaurieMal Member Posts: 10
    #21
    crselby said:

    Hi Laurie. This is a hard
    Hi Laurie. This is a hard time, making decisions, doing research, and all. And just not knowing what's going on. Stay calm and positive.

    I too have had botched surgeries (gall bladder and bunions) so I am skiddish of doctors. I had a jerk radiologist do my stereotactic core needle biopsy (SCNB). My biopsy showed definite cancer, DCIS. But I found an awesome female breast surgeon (Phoenix AZ), not near but worth the 45 minute drive to see her. She took a huge sample after locating the area with the wire. She cut out the 'clip' left by the SCNB, cut out the tumor, and, per my instructions to "get clean margins no matter how much you have to cut", cut out a total of 10 centimeters (not millimeters) of tissue.

    My breasts are different from yours, they are large and soft. The scar is small and barely noticeable. But one breast is smaller than the other, not noticable with clothes on! No dent, though, but my tissue is, as I said, soft.

    Hope this gives you something to go on. Please let me know how it all turns out. Fingers crossed!
    ~~Connie~~

    Hi Connie,
    Wow that is
    Hi Connie,
    Wow that is alot...my calcification is only 1 CM they said but not sure how much tissue they will cut out. My tissue is hard and dense and I work out alot so it may be quite noticeable but sounds like ahance I will have to take. Thanks for the story and your support.
    Laurie

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