microcalcification questions

Lifeafter

GM, I believe my path report said the same thing. I'll go look at it to confirm. The necrosis, I believe makes it a high grade. It does not mean invasive.



Michelle

marie5890

GM,

"intraductual carcinoma" is DCIS. High grade, like you put in you Dx line is grade 3. Thus far with what you have posted, you and michelle are looking like twinsies 

GreenMonkey

ohhhhhh that was very helpful!!!!!! thank you likeachicka!!!!!!!  

I'm guessing the diagnosis might change .... after the mastectomy and they have more tissue to examine.  but this gives me HOPE!!!   

GreenMonkey

I know... Michelle and I are twins! when do you find out about the PR+ ???? and why didn't my mother tell me I had a twin!!! 

GreenMonkey

Hi Ali... is it okay if we call you Ali, or ...do you prefer Alison?   Thinking about you......  I'm guessing your daughter is out now.... celebrating her 16th birthday dinner.  But... hhow are you?  We're here for you!  xoxo

Lifeafter

I have a sister and a twin at that!



GM, why isn't there a PR resultwithyour ER? I thought those were done together? That's weird. Yes, your prognosis could change. But fingerscrossed it won't. Have you discussed sentinel node dissection? I demanded they dovish sides cause I wanted to be absolutely sure. But that was me.



I'm getting my path report now and look it over!



Michelle

Lifeafter

GM - Yes my report said comedo necrosis. From what I've red it's a sub-type of DCIS which leads to the grade being high.



I noticed on my left my report says focal micro calcifications but I don't see anything that says that was tested. I will have to ask my new oncologist about that. They're both gone so its moot, but my onco, Dr Ass, didn't go over this stuff with me. So something else for me to highlight to get clarification on.



Michelle

GreenMonkey

another thing..... I don't know if this is true but I am told that because I have no history of cancer - breast, ovary, colon, cervical, (etc) in my immediate family it marks my cancer as being more "aggressive" that and I'm "young" for cancer - still menstrating.  

 I am walking into the unknown..... I scared out of my mind.   

Lifeafter

Hmmmm, I have not heard that. But like I said before the mire I learn, the more questions I have. I'm 40 and never really had periods. I'm sorry you're scared. I'd like to offer you a big cyber hug. (((hugs)))



Michelle

GreenMonkey

It's very quiet here... 

 Alison how are you doing? 

 Another night of no sleep.  I had a very bad day yesterday and I want to dump my husband.  

 Because I can't talk about any of this, I write about it.  If you would like to read todays blog post it is here: 

http://greenmonkeytales.blogspot.com/2012/01/step-one-rage.html

See, this is me using my cancer to try to get you to read me.  Shameless I am!

beacon800

Hi GM, the necrosis is not an uncommon thing and it does not mean your cancer has spread.  Certain things make the DCIS look more aggressive, but the fact that you don't have a family hx is not really one of them. 

In general the younger you are is not really a good thing, but I suspect it's mostly stats that are skewed by BRCA gene defect carriers, who because of their biology tend to get aggressive cancers early in life.  A second read on the path report is probably a good idea.  MSK is fantastic, so it's great you have access to them. 

sc2012

I'd wonder if people could share some experiences with me.

My mother, in her 70s, had a couple of mamograms these past few weeks -- and they confirmed

that she had a cluster of microcalcifications.  She will now have a biopsy.

 She had these two years ago and she also had a biopsy, which was benign.

Two years ago, before she had the biospy, the doctor told her it was "probably nothing."

This time, before the biopsy, the same doctor is telling her he "doesn't know."

Naturally, this change has my mother a bit more depressed than last time.

My questions to you all: does this change in tone from the doctor suggest anything significant?

In your experiences, how did your doctors handle this before the biopsy?  Aren't they likely

going to say they don't know anyway before the biopsy test?

Please share your experiences.

Thank you

Lifeafter

Something similar happened to me.  I had my first mammogram in August of 2010. They say micro calcfications. They talked to me and said...eh, it's probably nothing we see this all the time. We will monitor it. I go back 6 months later and I was called in and said...well, they've grown. It's still probably nothing but lets be safe and do a biopsy. All throughout my testing it up until my lumpectomy, I got the usual...it's probably nothing, 80% of women who have this blah blah blah.

With that said...it could be nothing. Microcalcifications are common. They won't know for sure what's going on until they do a biopsy. I know this doesn't give you much to go on other than this was my experience.

Michelle

geebung

Hi sc2012,

I've only had microcalcs discovered once on mammogram (after years of annual ones) and was told immediately that I had DCIS and that I would need surgery. Must have been a clear cut case. I think if they are clusterd in a certain pattern, there is a higer cance of them being DCIS. If there's any doubt, a biopsy is usually required.

I do hope your mother has a benign result.

cycle-path

sc2012, every doctor is different. Recently some of us were sharing info about our diagnostic experiences on another thread and it became clear that there's just no standard way of doing things.

It could be that last time the pattern of the calcifications was iffy, and this time the pattern is more indicative of BC. Or it could just be the mood the doc was in or the "phase of the moon."

The time from cancer suspicion to diagnosis is a horrible time for most people, and your mom is certainly no exception. But the only way to know whether there's cancer is to have a biopsy. 

lisamarie68

Hello all I am Lisa . I have had microcalcifications since my first mammo at age 40 in 2009 , then my mammo this Dec prompted a biopsy . I was not given any choice I had the stereotactic.. it took almost an hour as I have very small dense breast and it was hard for them to get the mammogram just right . I personally did not have a good experience with it .. Then they say 48 hours , I did not recive results until almost 5 days later and they said I need to have a MRI and a surgical biopsy due to calcifications bieng so close to chest wall.. Hmmm then about 3 days ago right before my MRI the woman from the cancer center called me and states I had posotive results .. WHAT ??? I had a papirloma witch is probably nothing but I had LICS stage 0 ... wow devistated .. had MRI but she stated nothing to report , (from what I read LCIS or DCIS dosent show on MRI ) I dont know . I am now scheduled for a exiscional biopsy wire guided .. I go for pre op test Jan 31 and surgery scheduled Feb 7th .... worried and waiting and it sucks ... I dont know what to say except my prayers are with you all .... much luck for B9....

GreenMonkey

Hi Lisa, 

That sucks!  science is so not perfect.  the waiting is hell. I have been told I need an mri also, before surgery.  I'll know more next week.  i'm a mess but i'm here for you! you might have to scrape me up off the floor, but I'm here for you.

if i'm not here i'm on my blog - greenmonkeytales.com.  I'm reorganizing there, putting all the cancer posts in one spot.  (I don't call it cancer there, I call it catstir.

this cancer has caused a major shift in my life.  I now think of things as BEFORE cancer and AFTER cancer.  I have made a complete mess of my life and its only been a week since my diagnosis.   

GreenMonkey

i also have to change my profile picture on my blog.  i'm wearing a pink cowboy hate.  i now hate that fucking hat because.... its pink.  

I have a friend named Pinky.  She has given me permission to change her name to Inky.  I love her.

lisamarie68

Thanks Monkey , It seems ur Dx is more involved than mine at this point .. I am here for u . if u need  my e mail or number ill be glad to text back and forth or whatever u need ..I am worried that when I get my surgery Feb 7th they wull then find ics or dcis .. maybe im just nuts at this point.. im friggin going crazy .. i have been reading and no more to read !!!! I know I do not want to take tamox , my cousins husband states its bad and I have reading horror stories about it .. I am so sad on my days off I just sleep and search ... Absolutly crazy all i know 

Lifeafter

lisamarie - I felt the same way as you during the surgeries before my BMX. I was so afraid they were going to find so much more than what they did. The wait is worse than the diagnosis! At least after you know exactly what you're dealing with.



I'm six months out from BMX and am chugging along. Good luck to you!



Michelle

Anonymous

Lisa----while stats say that they find something more serious (DCIS or invasive bc) in 15 to 30% of cases, that means in 70 to 85%  of cases, they DON"T !!! So hang on to those numbers, it's more likely they won't find anything more serious.   And from someone who has taken tamoxifen (for the full 5 years), it really wasn't bad at all. (yes, it can have some serious SEs, but the instances of those are very rare and less than 1%. Most people tolerate it well with the main SE being hot flashes).

anne 

GreenMonkey

you know, I'm trying hard not to post anything about tamoxifen, but from all I'm reading there is no way I want to go on it!  I'm not crazy about the idea of drugs in general.  or radiation. but for some reason i'm open to the concept of chemo (crazy brain of mine)

tomorrow is my first real post diagnosis appointment with a cancer specialist but from the conversations I've had with my radiologist and my obgyn, they will be recommending tamoxifen because of the ER+.

 by the way... unrelated but, day two of not leaving the bed, not showering, not getting out of my pj's ... the husband is avoiding me but the cat and dog are with me!  i'm doing what I need to do for ME.  

I so hope they'll let me get a mastectomy!  this is what i've figured out so far.  no radiation, no tamoxifen, no lumpectomy.  mastectomy and chemo if its spread.  the rest of my healing will be spiritual, and diet and herbs etc.  

I realize all this could change tomorrow but this is how i feel today.  

  

marie5890

Shannon,

Make sure you read up on lymphedema if you go for a mastectomy just so you are prepared. (But Im not sure if it's the mastectomy that puts a woman at risk for lymphedema or if it's node removal so check up on that.)

GreenMonkey

ewww... I was afraid to look at the word lymphedema! okay, i'll peak at it.  thanks Marie, my CT catstir friend! 

marie5890

You're welcome.

The one "good" thing about the time period you are in (inbetween dr. appointment and what kind of treatment plan to do) is that you HAVE TIME to do a lot of research, to get prepared and very educated so you are making THE very best choice for you from a critical thinking, intelligent POV, and not just out of the knocked-the-breathe-out-of-me-fear-knee-jerk-very-understandable-reaction.

You want to make a SMART intelligent, well-informed choice, not just an emotional reactive choice.  

Now is the time for serious education.  

Lifeafter

Shannon - I decided against Tamoxiphen. I'm having my ovaries and tubes removed in two weeks. That will reduce estrogen in my body by 90%, I'm told. This will preempt from having to take Tamoxiphen. I don't like drugs either especially ones with a cancer side effect! Also, why do you need chemo? It's my understanding that you don't need chemo with DCIS. I had to have my breast taken but I told the doctor he was taking both! I wasn't going through all that worry and treatment only to have it come back in the other breast.



Lymphedema is always a risk you will have to live withthe rest of your life if they remove nodes. I had nodes removed from both sides, at my request...really demanded it. My dr was only going yo do the one side. I didn't see why they wouldn't test the other side to make sure since they were in there anyway. I do have mild lymphedema in the right arm. It is reversable and treatable if it is dealt with early. It's a crapshoot if you get it or not. Rarely women get it so bad to the point of no return. There are precautions you need to take but they aren't an inconvenience. I am seeing an LE therapist once a week to keep mine at bay. Sucks having to get an hour long massage... ;-)



Michelle

buffy

Green Monkey -- try and not think too far ahead.  I had a bilateral mastectomy -- my choice and never have had lymphadema so far-- it will be five years for me this summer.  The lymphadema can occurr if you had to have a lot of nodes out because they act as a filter system for your body fluids and if you have the majority of them out, it can cause fluid build up -- which is lymphadema.  My surgeon did a sentinel biopsy on both sides and did not need to take a lot of my nodes out so I have not run into that.  I did not need radiation but am taking the tamoxifen.  I barely every take an advil/tylenol so I have an issue with meds also but after talking to a personal friend, who is a pathologist and she explained exactly what tamoxifen did, I chose to try it and personally, psych myself into believing I don't actually take it...if you know what I mean. I did have some side effects, nothing earth shattering and nothing that stopped me from doing anything and they all eventually went away.  Try not to think about it right now, one day at a time...remember, though, you are your own advocate and are in control of your own decisions...I told my surgeon I decided on a double...like you, I had no history in my family, I was 47  had children early, breast fed, etc....always had normal mammograms, actually, had a normal one a month prior to my diagnosis......it's a crap shoot I am convinced.  Take care and will be thinking of you!   Irene

GreenMonkey

I'm here at Sloan Kettering.  My husband, who doesn't believe I have cancer, is with me. After listening to the Dr. he is now focused on the lable "precancer" associated with DCIS - so to him, he was right.  Anyway...According to my Dr. here, Dr. Morrow, my good breast is also suspicious so she's ordered another mammo. I'm waiting to go in.  Also, when they did the biopsy and they put in the clip to show where the "precancer" was - they put it in the wrong place!  

hopeful123

I have been reading your posts as I am anxiously waiting for my results. I have to confess I like your husband's take on this. In any case, cant believe they put the clip in the wrong place. Is that even possible. I go for my biopsy tomorrow and I am wondering how they could do that.

Sending positive vibes for the good breast mammogram.

goldlining

GM, my first breast centre official position was that DCIS was **not** cancer, but pre-cancer. I felt that was disrespectful of my concern and desire to be done with it. I regard it as cancer that is starting in the mailroom, maybe still on probation, but has its eyes on a corner office. People say DCIS cannot be invasive. That is misleading. By definition ("in situ") DCIS is not invasive. If it becomes invasive, it changes its name. Some people find there is microinvasion hiding amidst the DCIS. Fortunately, that did not show up on my path reports. They say most DCIS will make a move or takes its sweet time to do it. Mine was grade 3, like yours, so I did not want to second guess its ambitions. I did not panic, but I did celebrate the DCIS diagnosis as the opportunity to get off the BC bus and was exasperated with those who did not appreciate the gift that it was to me.

The up-side is that I suppose we can say "no" when an insurance questionnaire says "have you ever had cancer?"