In all likelihood, does this indicate breast cancer?
I am a 38 yr old woman with a distant history of breast cancer on my Mom’s side(Great Aunt) and my Dad died in Nov. from lung cancer. Recently, my Dr. found a lump in my left breast at about the 4:00 area. A mammogram showed that the lump was “dense breast tissue”. However, the mammogram also showed some microcalcifications in roughly the same area. I do not have any pain. There are about 10 – 15 specs in a small cluster. The microcalcifications are all very tiny but vary in shape and relative size and appear to me to be in a linear pattern. The radiologist categorized me as a bi-rad 3 and recommended follow up with another mammo in six months. However, my Dr. has refered me to see a breast surgeon now to consider the option of doing a biopsy now instead of waiting for another mammo. With my background and all of this info., should I be worried? Does anyone have any helpful info. or stats or experience with this? I am freaking out a little.
Your family history has nothing to do with this situation. He is sending you to a surgeon because he wants someone else to make the call, as he could order a biopsy himself. It isn’t the lump that is the concern it is the microcalcifications they could be DCIS. Should you be worried? No. Should you have a small amount of healthy concern? Yes. Breast cancer at your age is not very common and this is probably your first mammogram so there is nothing to compare it to if there was it would be much easier on the radiologist.
A surgeon would probably want you to have a biopsy and if it is positive for DCIS they would then want to do a lumpectomy. Although this is appropriate what often happens is the biopsy removed it all, but they don’t know until the lumpectomy is done. If you’re the type who freaks out easily this may be the route to go. This area will always show up on future mammograms so you will need to remember to tell the tech each time you have one.
It is also appropriate to wait the 6 months to repeat the mammogram. If the radiologist was that concerned they would have said so and it is their report everyone basis their opinion on. Although breast cancer in younger women is more aggressive than in older women the area is very small and 6 months gives enough time for the radiologist to see if there are any changes, but it is very unlikely to be enough time for it to become an invasive cancer no matter how young you are. Just make sure you go to the same place to have the mammogram or take this mammogram with you to a new facility for comparison.
The third option you have is to ask your doctor to take this case to the hospital’s tumor board. This is a meeting where doctors from all specialties, including oncology, radiation oncology, surgery, pathology and radiology, meet and discuss cancer cases or potential cancer cases. No one will know who you are, but your mammogram will be viewed by everyone and your history will be discussed and they come to a determination as to what should be done. This way you have an opinion from many different perspectives. Your doctor may be a little reluctant though as most cases do have a cancer diagnosis when presented, but no one will care. I attended these meetings at various hospitals all the time.
If you had a baby within the last 6-8 months this is an increased risk. Whatever you decide will be fine there is no right or wrong answer. The chances of it being caner at all are very small. The chance of it becoming an invasive cancer is 6 months is very close to zero. Best wishes.
Microcalcifications – Focus for the Cure