Calcifications recurring after radiation and while on Tamoxifen

They most certainly can be benign! My '09 diagnosis resulted after a cluster of micro-calcs appeared on my annual mammogram (and then a stero biopsy confirmed grade 2 dcis), so I definitely understand your worries. I underwent a lumpectomy and rads, no tamoxifen, but always ask about the random calcs that still to this day show up on my annual mammos -- they've told me not to worry about them, lots of non bc reasons why our bodies have them. Wishing you benign results!!!

Laurie, it hasn't happened to me - I had too much DCIS so I had to have MX - but I can think of quite of few women who've been through this board who've gone through the same situation as you.  Most have ended up with benign results, with the calcs probably having been caused by the radiation. 

Hoping for benign results for you!

Lbwagner - I am so so sorry.  I completely understand why you want to go with a BMX.  I wish you well.

Laurie,   I have just had a similar reoccurance of dcis after lumpectomy and 7 weeks rad in 2010.  On a regular mammo i got the bad call back of calicfications, however all my docs were sure it was going to be califications from the radiation trmt.  The biopsy revealed friday it is dcis, however we are having a second opinion for peace of mind.  I hve gottne no gradings on the dcis yet, and will know something by tuesday.  Sooooo I do not know what the plan of action would be,since i have already had full breast rad.  I am wondering if you were given any other options and how you came about your choice.  I was never a candidate for tam, since i was her2 -     I am large breasted and already notice the size difference from the lumpectomy, which makes me a bit sad, as i am against cutting on my body further.  I am not sure what lays ahead, but i feel calmer and more empowered due to wonderful forums like these and can share and read about other girls in the same club that noone wants to join.  I would like to kow how you are doing and what you have planned.

Warrior Women Stay Strong,

Nancy

Laurie,

I am so sorry you are going through this. 

I am just here to say that that could have been me.  I had three lumpectomies this summer before getting clean margins for DCIS grade 2.  I was all set start radiation--CT scan, tattoos and all were completed--when my local RO asked for a new baseline mammo.  It is not protocol, just something she likes to do so that she can use it against films that might later show calcifications caused by radiation.  My surgeon thought it made sense, and lo and behold, the new mammo showed more calcifications that a surgical biopsy revealed to be more of the DCIS.  I am a little fuzzy, but I think they said it was probably there all along--so not new after my surgeries--just not seen behind the larger group.

I see an incredible dr at Mass General.  It just got missed.  I just thank God for my local RO who requested it, because otherwise, I would have gone in for my mammo in July 2013, after rads and Tamoxifen, and I would have had the same report as you.

I wish you the very best and am so sorry.

Julie

Laurie- I was touched by your story. We all make the best decision we can at first and hope for the best long-term outcome. There is no crystal ball to guide us. When I chose BMX, up until 5 minutes before my surgery while the surgeon was going over things with me, my husband was still questioning my decision. He was on-board but didn't totally understand it. Although I miss the sensitivity of my breasts, I am content with doing all that I could to eliminate some of my worry about recurrence. Best wishes to you in going forward with your surgery. (Hugs)

Laurie  Thank you for sharing your story and making me feel welcomed and surrounded by positive thoughts-no matter wha ti decide.  I will be thinking of you on the 29 and sending lots of healing thoughts your way.

So sorry for your reoccurence despite the rads and tamox. Ugh...BC is so insidious. I have a biopsy today for microcalcs and if it is cancer, after reading this thread, I may just have a mastectomy v lumpectomy with rads. This stuff can come back despite those low odds of reoccurence with lumpectomy/radiation. Huge hug Nancy. Your post has helped me more than you know. It may change the way I handle everything in the future if I am diagnosed next week.

my story may give reassurance....my diagnosis was in June 08.  Did 3 lumpies to get clear margins then into the rads and now on aromasin.  Looking forward to an end in a year so crossing fingers.

but just so you understand, I had 2 biopsies from junk seen on mamos over the past 4 years.  Both were only an alarm and had no reoccurance of DCIS or other cancers.  This last scare, I asked my MO about why stuff showing now that did not appear before?  her response was that some have what she called fat necrosis which looks troublesome but is not generally.  The fat necrosis shows up in her experience at about 4 years and needs to be checked but mostly B9.

Check it by all means but try not to assume the worst

Laurie - Hope all went as expected with your surgery last week and wishing you well.

Please keep us updated, Tracy!

Hopefully the calcifications are just benign ones caused by the radiation.   Thinking good thoughts for you!

Thats good to know AnnieBear.  Just for future reference.  

So glad you ladies are sharing this information!  

Apolline,

I, too, was 43 at the time and like you had a lumpectomy and 6 weeks of rads (left side), and like you, had "something" show up on an mri. Our backgrounds are even more similar as I also have a fiboadenoma (been closely monitored with ultrasound and mammography for > 5 years, it seems to be shrinking, which I'm told happens to pre-menopausal ones as our hormone levels go down).

It is a very good possibility that either the ultrasound will explain what the mri picked up or, if you do have a biopsy, it will be a benign result (that is what happened in my case) -- but it is so stressful, I know, I'm sorry you have to deal with it.

My bc was detected from a routine annual mammogram, and I strongly believe in early detection via mammography. I have dense breasts and they almost always want to take extra shots, so I only have diagnostic ones (this year they began offering 3D which seems to be even more detailed); I stay in the waiting room rather than go home and get the "got to come back and have more shots taken."  I confess that I am no longer a fan of mris, the high false positive results which lead to the added emotional and physical stresses of biopsies are just awful. Wishing you the very best of news!