Calcification cluster

In my right breast I had calcifications that turned out to be breast cancer; in my left breast I had (and still have) calcifications that were totally benign and harmless.

Because this is a breast cancer website, you will find a lot of women here who had calcifications that turned out to be breast cancer.  Since you are already nervous, that's probably going to scare you.  What you have to remember is that the women who hang out here are the ones who were in the 20%; the rest of the women - the 80% who had benign results - usually don't stick around here for long after they get their results. 

Good luck.  I hope that you are in the 80%. 

Try and stay positive, I know how hard it is.  I have calcification clusters in my breast that are benign.  Good luck on Monday.  Let us know how it goes.

One of the things they look for is are the microcalcifications "lining up?" Are they linear? I had none the year before and all of a sudden I had linear microcalcifications and sure enough DCIS with a .3cm invasion. This is for ductal cancer only. I am not sure if lobular cancer shows up as microcalcifications or not. I think not. I think lobular cancer  is more mass appearing.

Hello:  This is my first time to post as I just read a lot on here last night.  I had calcifications before that were benign but this year, they showed DCIS. stage 0.  They say, if you get cancer, this is the good one to have.  I had two areas of new microcalcifications and they only biopsied one site and used the sterotactic biopsy.  I am now researching my options.  By the way my aereola is totally black and blue as is a good one inch circle above the nipple area because it caused a blood clot to form inside the breast.  They told me it would dissipate over time.  I was set on saying no to radiation but today I went to see the guy anyway and found out they want to shoot two beams through the breast, none INTO the breast.  I was worried about my lung getting radiated.  Now I'm not worried as it appears it will only nick the edge of the lung.  What I don't understand is the ER/PR+ part of this.  I know my type of cancer is "fed" by estrogen.  What about the estrogen stored in my fat cells?  Is it going to be bad if I diet, thus releasing extra estrogen from storage? I'm 54, went through surgical complete menopause years ago. I don't think I want to take the pill for 5 years, the side effects sound awful.  I'm trying to decide whether I want to go for lumpectomy or mastectomy.  If they remove the two areas of calcifications with lumpectomy then find out they don't have clear margins or if they happen to find some invasive cancer, then another surgery will be done and it will be a mastectomy.  This is a tough one!

I just had my 6 month mammogram today and much to my surprise they found calcifications. Stereotactic biopsy is next week as I have been taking aspirin after knee surgery and have to be off of it for a week. I just completed 15 months of chemo and Herceptin so this really throws me for a loop. I really expected to have a breather for a while. What are the odds that the calcifications are cancer? My only experience has been with IDC.

Here's a good website about calcifications. http://www.radiologyassistant.nl/en/4793bfde0ed53

Good for you, BundleofNerves!  Best wishes to you.

"Clustered calcifications are both seen in benign and malignant disease and are of intermediate concern.
When clusters are scattered througout the breast, this favors a benign entity.
A single cluster of calcification favors a malignant entity."

But I DON'T  think a single cluster is a sure sign of malignancy.

Do you happen to know your BIRADS score?  (I don't know what my BIRADS score was for my 'suspicious calcifications', though I'm pretty sure it was a BIRADS 4.)  (My diagnosis was LCIS and nothing worse.  Don't expect that, as its quite unusual.)

I can kind of figure out different categories (though not all the time), I really have a lot of trouble telling benign from malignant within a calcification category.   I'm obviously not trained, and obviously not a radiologist. But maybe that's why they do biopsies?

I know going through the diagnosis process is absolutely horrid.  I think most everyone wants to have some solid clue as to what is happening.  I think it is encouraging that this article describes calcification clusters as 'intermediate concern' (as opposed to 'probably malignant'.)

Oh my, Nancy!  You have so many, many reasons to cry and be afraid.  I would be in an absolute state of shock.  I am so sorry.  Please know I am reaching out my cyber-hand to you.  Of course, I hope your clusters turn out to be benign. 

Not sure who's out there these days, but I finally got my biopsy results. Benign!!!  Can't express my relief in words.

That's fantastic news!!  :-) :-)

HI - I am so sorry you are going through this! First of all, you may want to start a new thread out here, it is helpful as you progress through the diagnostic stages for people to keep up with your story. There are so many ladies out here, odds are someone has the exact same issue as you!

Second, check out this site on calcs:

 http://www.radiologyassistant.nl/en/4793bfde0ed53

I've found that I will only get a partial story from radiologists, but they may let me peek at the films so I like to be a little educated myself.  The last time, I pointed out a calc to the radiologist that she missed (in a big hurry, thanks :-( 

Anyhow, I think this site will help you as well as the wonderful ladies out here.You may want to ask for the genetic testing just so you know if you have an increased risk.  Of course there are ladies with the gene that never develop cancer and ladies with cancer who have none in their family, so not a perfect science. 

hi idk if i will get any replies since i am new....i have several clustered califications in both breast & similar ones prodomently faint in back ground...i am terrified ...i have a very strong family history of cancers....they gave me a birads 3. Can anyone help calm my nerves....the report says NO CANCER but probably benign....how can it be NO CANCER & probably b9 at the same time???? Either it is or it isnt!!!!!! Thanks

The radiologist showed me the microcalcifications on the diagnostic mammogram. She said there were a lot in this 1 spot that was focused on. She told me that I had Stage 0 breast cancer and emphasized it was the earliest Stage to be caught. I am scheduled for a biopsy at a breast center. How accurate is the radiologist diagnosis, and can they see microinvasions? I'm very nervous.