microcalcification questions

The definition that I prefer for DCIS is that it's a "pre-invasive cancer".  

Pre-cancer suggests that DCIS is not cancer and that's really not true - DCIS cells are cancer cells that divide and spread just like other cancer cells.  The difference is simply that DCIS cancer cells are stuck inside the milk ducts of the breasts which means that as the cells multiply, they spread out through the ductal system of the breast - they can't move into other parts of the body. 

Non-invasive cancer suggests that DCIS is made up of cancer cells will never have the ability to become invade. That's not true either. At the point at which a DCIS cancer cell is found, it is an almost fully developed cancer cell except that it lacks the ability to break through the wall of the milk duct - that's why it is non-invasive. As the cell continues to evolve, it may develop the ability to break through the cell and at that point, this very same cell goes from being a DCIS cell to an IDC cell.

Pre-invasive cancer seems to describe DCIS best in that it suggests that DCIS is a cancer that is currently not invasive but that has the potential to become invasive. The cancer was caught "at a pre-invasive stage".  

What are your treatment plans? We all kinda sound like we are in the same boat. UGH.....I was diagnosed first with DCIS, Mammo Dec 23, 2011 (oh, Merry f'n Christmas!!)  then after the stereotactic biopsy Jan 3rd, they found a 6mm tumor and now they say invasive.....just that word is almost as bad as the damn "C" word. I've met with a plastic surgeon, and surgeon to have a double mastectomy done. After my pathology report came back there were clear margins from the 2x2 inch diameter that my surgeon removed, but beneath that margin.....he took more tissue, and that was positive for DCIS too...for me, it's just a matter of time before I go through this nightmare again. February 3rd I'm having a double Mastectomy done, with immediate re-construction. I can't have the nipple sparring procedure done, becuase of the risk of spreading the cancer to my thigh, or it coming back into my breast....not 100% guaranteed to work....... I can't deal with all of these tests.......all of the surgeon and doctor appointments. The worst (which many of you may not understand cuz you don't smoke) is having to quit smoking right now........that is just the worst!! Not good timing when xanax isn't even helping to take the edge off. I can't wait until this is just over!! I just hope that it isn't in my lymph nodes. I don't want chemo, radiation or that 5 year pill either. I just want my breast removed.......and I want this nightmare over with!!!

Greenmonkey, it's a good thing your husband is married to you rather than me because if he were my spouse he would have at least one black eye right now.

That being said, I believe many men (and some women) respond, shall we say, "badly" to a cancer diagnosis in a loved one because they're afraid. Here on the BCO boards we fairly regularly read about a husband who has walked out on his wife on hearing the BC news, and there was even one a little while back who threw his wife out of the house!

As horrible as this is, I think it all comes down to fear. Men often don't learn how to deal with fears very well and they respond by running away or saying hateful things. They're probably more to be pitied than despised.

(But I still woulda punched mine if he'd behaved as yours has.) 

well said Cycle!

 Francksgirl (((HUG))))) 

acckas, I too get so much support from this site!

Okay.. I've been moaning and bitching for a solid week here and you've been listening and calming me.  NOW.. its my turn to make you laugh.  

ready...  

 So, I live in Connecticut.  My doctors appointment was in NYC at Sloan Kettering Hospital (the "Cancer specialists").  Husband and I took the train into the city, then the subway to the hospital.  When we got off the subwaywe we were immediately greeted by a homeless man.  He was set up on the corner.  He had a tin can and a sign.  He was begging for money saying, "please help me, I don't have a job and I am a diabetic"  I am by nature, a compassionate person, yet here, on this day, in true rebellious form, I pointed to my husband and said, "yep, he's got no job either and I have cancer!"  His response ... "get your own corner!"  

GM- Same time for me. So we are biopsy buddies!! Let's go girl! Positives vibes for both of us.

francksgirl - I'm expecting the same news as you!  I want a double mastectomy in the worst way!  ge these cancer things off my body!  

Hoepful, I am home.  about to take a nap.. how about you biopsy buddy!  I posted about it somewhere else on here - I don't remember where.  maybe on my "cancer makes you crazy" thread.. time for a nap! 

Well just got back. Had to wait for two hours for the biopsy. Thanks to the forum today I asked her what my birds were. She said 5. So here we go I am afraid I will be joining the club. Will know for sure Friday. If it I'd malignant the radiologist says I am most likely a Stage ii or iiii.

GM- I think a nap sounds good.

I realize this is a long thread but when I discovered it and saw the first post, I had to post a reply. I too had my first mammogram on Dec. 10th and on Dec. 21st received a letter from the Imaging Center (before my dr even got the results) that I needed to come in for a diagnostic follow up. I did that on Jan. 11th - earliest appt I could get given the holidays. They only did a few views and after the radiologist read them he came in to tell me it was calcifications which he thought were benign (although micro, but he did not mention it that day) and that I needed a needle biopsy (stereo) to be sure. I had that done on Jan. 19th and I am waiting the results now.

 I did not know what BIRADS were at the time so I never asked for mine. My gyn read the report and discussed it with me in person (his choice) the day after the diagnostic mammo and he said he thought the biopsy would come back benign but that "this is the type of thing that could turn into cancer later". And I keep reading that - that microcalcifications seem to cause an issue later, even if you have an initial benign result. Question for you ladies: do you believe that is the case or am I just reading way too much online?

 The radiologist was also cautiously optimistic during the biospy (was the same guy who read my diagnostic) and said he thought I was ok but sometimes he is proven wrong. And he also commented that "it's small" which is a good thing. I just don't know what "it" is, exactly?? A cluster?

Thank you so much for reading my post. You are all going through so much. Some other women replied to some other questions on another thread that I posted and I really appreciate it. I notice that some of you seem to live in the NY area as do I.

Take care.

all I can say........is just wait for your results. Thats it.....it's the way the cluster is formed I know that  a doctor can "kinda" tell if it's malignant or not. Sometimes women who have a BRAD score of 5, think that it's automatically malignant. Sometimes in my case, my doctor told meeeeeeeeee....that he thought that I just had DCIS....and really didn't think that I had Invasive Breast Cancer. All in all.....for me, I knew it......deep down, I just knew it. Even when people told me I'd be fine.....I just knew they were all wrong. There really isn't anything for you, until you find out your results. Yes, you have it on your side that they think everything will be B9......that is awesome. Hold onto that.....but also kinda keep it in the back of your mind....doctors don't know for sure until your pathology report comes back!! You can call your people and ask them to give you your BIRAD score.....mine was a 4.......they say if you are a 3, it's B9 most of the time. Mayb e that would make you feel better. The waiting game sucks..........One good thing for you.....they had me take more pictures when I had my mammo the 1st time.....they told me that day that they needed closer pix.....that were more magnified. That day, I was told I needed a stereotactic biopsy done, and would have had it done right then and there except I had advil in my system.

Cmconfused,

Clustered microcals *sometimes*...and I stress *sometimes* ...can signal that early stage cancer is present...but alot of times, it's nothing. 

Microcals in and of themselves are not cancer. There are several reasons why microcals can be present, one of which is cancer...but there are other reasons too.

IF...and stressing *IF*....the biopsy comes back for positive for cancer, the radiologist is telling you that it's VERY small, which means it's been caught very early. 

There is a tendency when we are fearful that all breast cancer is the same....It's not....

But the chance are more on your side, by what you have posted, that you are leaning towards a B9 result.... 

Thank you all so much for your perspective and kind words. I think I have just read far too much and perhaps I am misinterpreting it. It seems to me that all BC is NOT the same - in fact, it seems widely varied and overhwhelming, and I think the fear of the unknown has me scared.

I will try to chill until I have the results, which I was told might be tomorrow but my gyn is out tomorrow and I suspect he will want to tell me himself, even if it's benign. I may call the office tomorrow to see if the nurse will give me the score.

CmConfused,

That is exactly right. "Breast cancer" is an umbrella term for all the different kinds of cancer, and there are many, than can affect the breast. And not all of those cancers are the same.

There are all kinds of variable to all those different kinds of cancers.

For newbies..."breast cancer is breast cancer"....but the more you learn, the more you know, the more you are likely to ask more indeph questions because it's more involved than just simply saying "I have breast cancer".

The "C" word is a terrifying word. It holds alot of power. But becoming educated about it give you even more power.  

Cmconfused-absolutely you may pm me anytime. 

I want to agree with you that you are probably reading too much right now.  That happened to me when I was first diagnosed before I really had all the facts.  It made it so much worse for me-I had to stop coming here and to all other BC sites because I was getting too depressed.  I was not informed enough yet to realize that each case is different and I was comparing myself to others who 'seemed' similiar.  Now that I have a final path report and I know what my particular situation is I am much more comfortable researching and have found this to be the very best site out there for BC.

GM---

What you experienced and how you have reacted is really par for course, and as you calm down and settle in, your critical thinking skills will sharpen back up. I bet you are sensing that already.   

For the ladies here that Are waiting for b9 results. Just a little piece of advice.....most women here are women that are diagnosed...so you aren't going to see many ladies that have a b9 result on here. When I first had the scare.......One of the women here told me that, and it made me feel a little better at the time. Unfortunately, my crap wasn't b9........I was one of the girls that fell into the category of being malignant....I am in that 20-40% group that Is NOT b9.