Calification

my doctor found two calification on my breast through a mam and he wants me to have a bio. done.  I just wanted some more info on the calification.  He said I would probably never even know it is there, so I wanted to know if it is cancer is there any symptoms.  I know that it is a possibility that it is not, I just wanted to know if I don't have the bio done is there any way I can tell it is cancer?

MissesC -

I had micro-calcifications with absolutely no symptoms. I opted for the biopsy for the peace of mind. They told me that 80% of the time it is nothing. Unfortunately, I fell into the 20% of something. The calcifications led them to the tumor. It was much better knowing than not knowing although waiting on the results was really hard.

As for symptoms, sometimes you can have pain, lumps that grow/change, changes in breast skin and discharge from the nipple. You could have these symptoms without cancer or you could have cancer without any of these symptoms.

Have your doctor explain the biopsy method he will be using so you can make an informed decision.

TAM

Yes, there have been women whom medical personnel could tell without a doubt that they had breast cancer without having to do a biopsy first - but these were VERY advanced cancers with very serious already evident complications.  My dr was telling me about such a patient last week. This older lady knew she had a problem for months and months and months, but she kept denying it - kept saying it was just infection. By the time she went to the dr, the cancer was so advanced that it was too late to save her life.

I don't think you should take that risk. Absent VERY VERY advanced symptoms, a biopsy is the ONLY way to without doubt tell if a spot is breast cancer or not. Some drs will recommend waiting to see if a calcification gets bigger, but if your dr wants to do biopsy now, I think that's pretty sound advice. 

If done properly, and there is no nerve involvement with the calcifications, biopsy most likely will be uncomfortable but not painful.   Waiting for the pathology report will most likely be more uncomfortable than the actual biopsy - but at least you will then know one way or the other, and won't have to live second-guessing your decisions.

There are risks with needle biopsy, and your dr should inform you of
them, but when compared to the risks of having cancer go undiagnosed
and continue to grow and cause more and more problems, I would (and did) choose
to have the biopsy.

Sincerely,

Tre

P.S.  i apologize if my reply was a little harsh or more graphic than seemed warranted.  Did not mean to scare anyone - but rather to say that while symptoms can be an indicator, not everyone HAS symptoms, and not everyone heeds symptoms when they have them. Indeed, a woman can go for quite a long time with cancer without knowing that anything is wrong.  My lump was quite large when I found it, but was hidden very high in the breast (almost under the armpit) and very deep within the tissues. I doubt that I ever would have found it had I not had very sudden excruciating pain when the tumor started pressing on the nerve,  and hidden so high in the breast that it was unlikely that it would have been caught on mammogram without my already knowing that it was there and being able to tell the tech that she didn't yet have enough of my breast in the machine to show the lump.  My one symptom came very late - it was already stage II when I had my surgery.

That's why I encourage women not to depend upon presence or absence of symptoms when a biopsy can give them a definite answer.

Best wishes to you,

Tre

 

On 7/8/2009 MissesC wrote:

my doctor found two calification on my breast through a mam and he wants me to have a bio. done.  I just wanted some more info on the calification.  He said I would probably never even know it is there, so I wanted to know if it is cancer is there any symptoms.  I know that it is a possibility that it is not, I just wanted to know if I don't have the bio done is there any way I can tell it is cancer?

 

I was one of the unfortunate 20% but I am thankful my cancer was found early. I was very surprised I had breast cancer as I had NO symptoms except some "calcifacation"(sp) on my mamogram.

 

On 7/8/2009 nansisi wrote:

 

On 7/8/2009 MissesC wrote:

my doctor found two calification on my breast through a mam and he wants me to have a bio. done.  I just wanted some more info on the calification.  He said I would probably never even know it is there, so I wanted to know if it is cancer is there any symptoms.  I know that it is a possibility that it is not, I just wanted to know if I don't have the bio done is there any way I can tell it is cancer?

 

I was one of the unfortunate 20% but I am thankful my cancer was found early. I was very surprised I had breast cancer as I had NO symptoms except some "calcifacation"(sp) on my mamogram.

 

 

I had my yearly mammogram 6/5/08 and a digital mammogram 6/25/08. I was told that there was an increase of microcalcifications in subareolar & periareolar aspects of the right breast. They appear to be predominantly secretory & benign. Other calcifications are vascular. Six month follow up is suggested. I had a biopsie done 11/05/08 and it was DCIS stage 0cancer. I chose a lumpectomy 11/20/08. The results came back there was too much cancer that spread into the ducts.  I had a bilaterial mastectomy done 1/29/09. I have had fluid issues since the day the drains 1st came out, I never drained after that. I had fluid removed by the surgeon every week for a month. I then had ultra sound guided fluid removal 3/25/09. The fluid came back. The surgeon took off the exess skin 4/30 she put in drains then also. But the fluid came back after the drains came out and I started with an infection. I had another ultrasound guilded fluid removal 6/19/09. The fluid build up and issues seem to be in the left breast that did not have any cancer.  I am so glad I did not listen to the hospital that did my mammogram. They have done my yearly mammograms since before 2005. I did not have reconstruction surgery done with the implants.

Today I had a core needle biopsy of some calcifications found on my mamo. It wasn't too bad, just a few stings when the needle went in.

My mother had breast cancer 10 years ago so I'm at higher risk. Hope it will be benign.

 Good luck with your tests. Please post results.

 

 

On 7/21/2009 bellaG wrote:

Today I had a core needle biopsy of some calcifications found on my mamo. It wasn't too bad, just a few stings when the needle went in.

My mother had breast cancer 10 years ago so I'm at higher risk. Hope it will be benign.

 Good luck with your tests. Please post results.

 

I haven't went for my biopsy and I don't know when I will be able to.  My insurance was terminated (long story) and the biopsy cost $3,000.00 (more then I can afford right now).  When will you get your results?

Thanks for posting

MissesC.

hi i felt a lump so i called the clinic in town they gave me an appointment a month later the next day i walked into the emergtency room. everything just started happening from there. i am single was broke so i was covered by the breast cervical act or whatever it is called i was put on medicade the social securitty by the way i was at stage 4 w/ mets 2 the liver so time was of the essence. everyone i have met through this has been unbelievably great. there are so many loving caring people out there to bounce things off of. i am 50 now been through this for 1 1/2 years had chemo double masectomy radiation and i'll be on chemo 4 life. i know this is odd but trully everything has been really smooth going for me   only when one chemo stopped working about 2 months ago did i experience pain got nauseous once  i was put on gemzar then and immediatly the liver tumors went down i don't know why i never got super sick i did loose my hair but it has been growing back for a year now i did gain wieght got lazy fatigued or whatever but i consider myself so lucky in the big picture. i don't know what to expect so i just do what my dr. says and go on without much worries as it is in Gods hands  best of luck to you lilchris

 

On 8/2/2009 lilchris wrote:

hi i felt a lump so i called the clinic in town they gave me an appointment a month later the next day i walked into the emergtency room. everything just started happening from there. i am single was broke so i was covered by the breast cervical act or whatever it is called i was put on medicade the social securitty by the way i was at stage 4 w/ mets 2 the liver so time was of the essence. everyone i have met through this has been unbelievably great. there are so many loving caring people out there to bounce things off of. i am 50 now been through this for 1 1/2 years had chemo double masectomy radiation and i'll be on chemo 4 life. i know this is odd but trully everything has been really smooth going for me   only when one chemo stopped working about 2 months ago did i experience pain got nauseous once  i was put on gemzar then and immediatly the liver tumors went down i don't know why i never got super sick i did loose my hair but it has been growing back for a year now i did gain wieght got lazy fatigued or whatever but i consider myself so lucky in the big picture. i don't know what to expect so i just do what my dr. says and go on without much worries as it is in Gods hands  best of luck to you lilchris

 

Thank you for your response.

I haven't been able to get a biopsy done yet.  I am hoping that my insurance will reinstate me.  They said that they are still reviewing it and it won't be untill the 10th of this month to have an answer.  I am having a little bit of pain in the area that they found the calcification but, I don't know if it is just all in my head.

Thanks for all your help

Missesc