Mass seemed to disappear ... what?

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Virgo59
Virgo59 Member Posts: 8
edited May 2018 in Waiting for Test Results

In the past I have always had normal mammograms so in 2017 I decided to skip it. Thank God I listened to my doctor this year and decided to get one. The mammogram came back abnormal so I had to get a diagnostic mammogram with ultrasound. That one revealed a 3 cm mass to the left breast. This morning I had a core needle biopsy with ultrasound. While numbing my breast the doctor said my implant was causing the mass to move around. I asked if that meant is was a cyst instead of a mass and he said no, it's definitely a mass. Once he steadied it, he told me he would do three extractions. After the first extraction he said the mass disappeared ... YEAH, but he would still do the other two ... huh? The doctor said the mass was probably just a microcalcification. Has anyone else ever had this happen? Does this mean if the mass was cancer it was sucked out by the needle? I'm confused because he later said the results would be back either Friday, no later than Monday.

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  • Recap
    Recap Member Posts: 120
    edited May 2018

    I would like to know more about microcalcifications because patients/healthcare providers/medical reports sometimes talk like CALCIUM is what turns malignant, and other times the ADJACENT MASS/TISSUE is what turns malignant.

    To read they removed all of the microcalcifications is not reassuring to me... if they did not state they also removed all of the adjacent mass/tissue.

    I looked at my mammogram images of what they removed during biopsy.

    Looks like a 12inch long (magnified lol) 1 inch wide belt, cut into 12 pieces, and on the edge of several pieces brightly lit up in bright white are the clustered microcalcifications.

    As far as I know calcifications are calcium deposits and I fail to see how the calcium itself is/can be cancerous?? Isn't it just the byproduct of whatever process is taking place in your tissue?

  • Virgo59
    Virgo59 Member Posts: 8
    edited May 2018

    I think the way I wrote my post gives the impression I've received an official diagnosis which I haven't. I just got a core biopsy with ultrasound yesterday 5/9/18 and waiting on the results. My post is about the confusion that took place during the biopsy. I was told after the diagnostic mammogram and ultrasound that due to a 3 cm mass I needed a core biopsy with ultrasound. The doctor took 3 samples, but said after the first one that the mass disappeared. I thought maybe it was a cyst that popped, but he assured me it was a "mass" not a cyst. He then said "it was probably a microcalcificaiton because I've never seen a mass just disappear like that." He did continue to take the other two samples from that space which is good so I'm waiting on the pathology report with an "official diagnosis".

  • Virgo59
    Virgo59 Member Posts: 8
    edited May 2018

    Got results back 5/15/18 and they are BENIGN! I am so relieved. This site has been a godsend while waiting on the results. The doctor referred me to a breast surgeon for a possible excision. May God continue to be with you brave ladies and gentlemen while you fight the good fight. Thank you again.

  • Kanga_Roo
    Kanga_Roo Member Posts: 333
    edited May 2018

    So happy for you Virgo! Must be such a relief

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