I thought I was in the clear...than a call...

shabby6485

Ok. this never ends.  Went for 6 mos check after two lumpectomies for calcs.  Was told at the clinic that it looks good and to come back in 6 mos. Now my surgeon calls and says  that they want an MRI because of other calcs? Macro, I think he said.

I want to cry.  Anybody?

Anonymous

Shabby,

 I'm so sorry.  This really stinks, I know.  I recently had my 6 month mammo after my lumpectomies earlier this year (ADH).  I have a new cluster of microcalcifications in the same breast, not too far from incision that had the ADH.  I had an appointment to see the surgeon on the 24th.  He called me yesterday.  He had had my March mammograms pulled so he could compare them himself.  He agreed that they weren't there in March, and he wants to skip the consult and schedule a biopsy.  The bright spot is that he said that this time, it's in an area where he thinks he can do a successful stereotactic biopsy, so I won't have to have another excisional biopsy.  Good thing too; I was thinking at the rate I was going, too many more lumpectomies and I'd have had a mastectomy on the slow plan. 

I thought I would be much braver this time around, and rise above it all and just deal with it.  Her I find myself not happy all over again.  (Talk about anxiety - my heart skipped a couple of beats when I heard my surgeon on the other end of the phone.)

Hang in there Shabby.  We WILL get through this.  Feel free to PM me if you want to talk.

 Dukemom

shabby6485

hi dukemom

i am so confused.  not sure if these are new calcs or old ones they saw and didn't want to biopsy originally because they were macro.  are you getting a mri? 

Anonymous

Hey Shabby,

My understanding was that macro calcifications are almost always benign.  This is from the Mayo Clinic's website:  "Macrocalcifications are almost always noncancerous and require no further testing or follow-up." 

I did have an MRI last spring, after my first round of lumpectomies.  Because of the ADH, I had been referred to an oncologist for follow up.  She ordered the MRI, in her words, "to be sure there isn't anything else going on".  The MRI showed an area at the edge of the original lumpectomies that was suspicious for residual malignancy, so on round two that was re-excised (benign).  It also showed a solid mass in a different area of the same breast, which a follow up U/S showed to be solid.  That was also removed on round two (also benign).

Don't freak out if they find something on the MRI; remember that MRIs are famous for false positives.  Do you have a date for your MRI yet?  My surgeon's nurse is calling me in the morning to schedule my stereotactic.  (This is such a calm and slow paced time of the year too!)

shabby6485

Hi Dukemom

So, is the MRI in place of a mammo?  I know they wanted me to have a MRI before my lumpectomies in May but didn't have time to go.  I thought they cannot see calcs on a MRI

Annabella58

Hi Shabby:

I had a lumpectomy seven years ago, rads and tamoxifen.  Last year, had a clear mammo then an MRI caught my 1.5 cm cancer!  They have recently found out that some cancers can be caught by MRIS that weren't seen by mammos.  Now, of course, I know that freaks you out, but don't let it........they are just making sure!

I think they are pretty sure in your case, all is well, as you are right, MRIs can't catch calcifications.  But because  there are now new guidelines in place that if they have a reason (past calcifications are one) to be checking further, then an MRI is in order. 

It's just to make sure they got everything, honey, I don't think I'd worry too much.  It is true that MRIs are famous for false positives (my oncs wife had two!! FPs) but I am one person who was helped by this technology.  When it comes to bc, the earlier the better, and you sure don't want a single thing to be hiding, right? 

Your onc is a good, thorough doctor and he would not be doing right by you, if he did not check everything just to be sure.  It's not scarey, don't worry, it doesn't hurt, it's quick, it's easy and your boobs don't get squished.  I was as terrified as you are this time last year and I'm here, fat and happy and healthy to talk about it!  And you will most likely have a nice clear MRI. 

Hang in there, everything will work out.

xoxo

annie

shabby6485

thank you for your kind words, annie

Beesie

MRIs aren't good at seeing benign calcifications, but MRIs are better than mammos at seeing calcifications that are DCIS.  In my case, I was sent for an MRI after biopsies for calcifications in both breasts.  In my right breast, the biopsy showed DCIS.  The biopsy of the calcs in my left breast was benign.  When I had the MRI, it lit up all over my right breast, and as it turned out, it was all DCIS, including calcifications that were so fine that they didn't show up on a mammo yet.  Nothing lit up on my left breast, confirming that the calcifications were benign and that there were no other problems.  So the MRI was very accurate in my case in detecting DCIS and not seeing the benign calcifications.  shabby, this might be why you are being sent for an MRI.  If nothing lights up, then you may be able to avoid a biopsy. 

Misty3

Hi Shabby, If you are high risk, you should/could have MRI yearly--this is a good thing.  If you have macrocalcs--usually benign.  MRI will not be "in place of" a mammogram.  Have a mammogram yearly and an MRI yearly--schedule them so you have a mammogram and 6 months later you have an MRI and 6 months later you have a mammogram--you get the drift.  MRI's do not pick up microcalcifications--that's why you must alternate with mammogram.

You surgeon is just being prudent. You can feel really confident that all is well after this MRI.

Take good care,

Misty

LindaBusEd

shabby, did you have to do any chemo.

I was dx on 9/19 after my yearly mammo on the 9th; returned on the 10th for a sonogram and more mammo; 12th--talked to surgeon; biopsy on the 17th; told me afterwards that he didn't like the way it looked; wasn't surprise when he called on the 19th; had lumpectomy on 10/2; had the Mammosite radiation (was a candidate)--5 days only twice a day; however, even though he got clear margins, I will have 6 chemo treatments as a precaution. I start Dec. 2!

 I will be thinking about you. Linda