Biopsy today for linear microcalcifications. Looking for hope..

Options
midwestmama
midwestmama Member Posts: 3
edited November 2015 in Waiting for Test Results

I had my biopsy today. Procedure itself was fine, much less scary than I was expecting. I learned minutes before the procedure that I was a BIRADS 4b, due to linear microcalcifications found in one spot on my right breast. It took a week to get into my biopsy, and over that week I have sort of convinced myself that I probably have cancer. Maybe not the most helpful mindset, but that's the way my mind has gone. I'm only 30, no family history, very healthy, just finished 3+ years of almost uninterrupted breastfeeding (a few months off between kids).

This is my report I just received right before my biopsy:

"There are linear microcalcifications which are not clearly vascular. The right breast microcalcifications are indeterminate and a biopsy is recommended. BIRADS 4b. Parench: dense"

I guess I'm just looking for a little bit of hope that it could be benign...I just weaned my son a few weeks ago, after 18 months of breastfeeding, and the radiologist mentioned that it *could* have something to do with lactating...but I haven't read that anywhere else. It was also determined I have a galactocele last week, at the test where they recommended the biopsy. I'm worried sick.

Has anyone had similar findings that turned out to be benign? I could use a little hope.

· Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Comments

  • MelissaDallas
    MelissaDallas Member Posts: 7,268
    edited October 2015

    Yes, findings on a 4b range from 10% to less than 50% having positive findings, so the odds are still in your favor that you will havve a benign result.

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Mamiya
    Mamiya Member Posts: 432
    edited October 2015

    "not clearly vascular" is a good thing.

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Ddw79
    Ddw79 Member Posts: 533
    edited October 2015

    wondering about the post stating that not clearly vascular is a good thing ? I think that clearly vascular would be a huge relief. While that may have some other implications, it doesn't have cancer implication

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Tomboy
    Tomboy Member Posts: 3,945
    edited October 2015

    Vascularity is what happens when cancers get big enough to make tendrils to reach out to nearby blood vessels, to feed themselves vascularity is not a good thing. A year after treatment, there were clustered and linear and branching in my parenchyma, not a good thing. Many bios plugs were taken, all showing benign, with 'the usual atypical hyperplasia. So es, there is still a very good chance it may be nothing.

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • midwestmama
    midwestmama Member Posts: 3
    edited November 2015

    Thank you to all who responded! I have no family history and before this week had hardly any knowledge of BC so this is all new to me. When I had first read "not clearly vascular" I thought that sounded bad, so I'm glad to know that is a positive thing. I'm feeling a little more hopeful today. Praying I get results early Monday.

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • 614
    614 Member Posts: 851
    edited November 2015

    Dense breasts increases your risk for breast cancer.  That being said, 50% of women have dense breasts.  Bi-Rads 4B means that there is a moderate suspicion that there may be a malignancy.  However, 80% of suspicious areas are benign.  The "not clearly vascular" is a hopeful sign.  Most likely, you do not have breast cancer but it is a good thing that you are having a biopsy and that you are being checked.  Please obtain a copy of your pathology report.

    Good luck and I am sending you hugs.  The waiting and wondering is difficult and stressful.

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • MelissaDallas
    MelissaDallas Member Posts: 7,268
    edited November 2015

    The increased risk associated with density mainly refers to the 10% of women who have a Bi-Rads classification of "extremely dense" breasts. Unless we are very young or very elderly almost all of us have heterogeneously dense breasts.

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Ddw79
    Ddw79 Member Posts: 533
    edited November 2015

    I just learned after my recent Mammogram that I have dense breasts. I was surprised as I thought that density decreases after menopause . I'm 22 years past that. Has anyone else heard anything like that

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • MelissaDallas
    MelissaDallas Member Posts: 7,268
    edited November 2015

    Most of us have heterogeneously dense breasts unless we are very young or very elderly. The concerning dense breasts are those that fall into the extremely dense category, and only 5-10% of women have that diagnostic category.

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Ddw79
    Ddw79 Member Posts: 533
    edited November 2015

    Thanks Melissa. Now they give you a paper about breast density and breast cancer at the women's imaging center where I go so I guess it is pretty common

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • MelissaDallas
    MelissaDallas Member Posts: 7,268
    edited November 2015

    Pretty much everyone gets the "you have dense breasts" letter. It is kind of meaningless without a rating or percentage to go with it. If your mammogram found areas of concern it is pretty much a given that you are not so dense that the mammogram was ineffective.

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Ddw79
    Ddw79 Member Posts: 533
    edited November 2015

    Right I guess that's what's important

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Member Posts: 1,376
    edited November 2015

    as a rule, breast density does start to decrease after menopause, but everyone's density decreases at it's own rate. (on a side note; breast density decreases with tamoxifen use, so that is a positive benefit. After taking tamox for 5 years, and evista for over 6 years, they tell me my breasts are "almost completely fat" (so very easy to image with mammos); it's the only part of me where I'm OK with the fat!

    anne

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Ddw79
    Ddw79 Member Posts: 533
    edited November 2015

    Great info... Thanks Anne.

    22 years past menopause and still dense. I'm going to ask MO on Friday for trial of Evista. The Diabetes could be a deal breaker but I think I should try

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Categories