Calcification

I went to hospital today after being referred from doctor for what I feared was Pagets disease. This was found to be not the case. However, I was sent for a mammogram and then a second more in-depth mammogram followed by an untradound. They found calcification on one breast and told me to go for a biopsy next week and then it would take around 3 weeks for the result. I am terrified. I'm sitting here shaking with fear at what this might mean for me. How I will get through the next month I don't know. The thought of BC terrifies me. I assumed it it was cancer I would have a lumpectomy but reading google people are talking about mastectomy. Can anyone advise me. I am 70 years old but I've got so much to live for. 

  • Hello and thanks for your post

    I’m sorry you are awaiting to have further tests and appreciate times like this are a worry.

    It seems the mammogram revealed an area of calcification which needed investigating. They will now look in to this further by doing a biopsy to check the abnormality and for a possible cancer.

    Unfortunately there is no one who is going to be able to confirm what the biopsy will show until the results are in. However the majority of women with breast calcifications won't go on to be diagnosed with cancer. You can read more about breast calcifications on Breast Cancer Now's website by clicking here.

    Easier said than done but try not to over think until you have all the information about what might be going on. If you can keep yourself busy and your mind on other things that may help pass the time.

    I hope you know more soon.  Give us a ring if you would like to talk any of this over.The number to call is Freephone 0808 800 4040 and the lines are open from 9am till 5pm Monday to Friday.

    Kind regards,

    Celene

  • Hi Nessi,

    Sorry to find you on here and feeling so worried about calcifications.  Did they tell you anything about how they had  classified them, for example indeterminate or suspicious?  Calcification often shows up on mammograms but they do tend to worry about them a bit more if they are clustered together in one area.  That being said they can also be benign but only a biopsy can confirm this.  It's absolutely awful waiting for results.  Three weeks seems quite long and I'd be on the phone after 2 weeks if I were you!  
    I was in a similar position to you a year ago and was also very scared.  My calcifications (found in a routine mammogram) did turn out to be a low grade and very small invasive breast cancer with DCIS and I went on to have a mastectomy last March.   I didn't need chemotherapy or radiotherapy and just take Tamoxifen and I'm now getting back to normal again.  I'm 55.  Try to stay busy to distract yourself, this is the worst part not knowing.  If it is BC, it will have been caught very early and you'll be okay.  Remember, there is every chance it won't be so try to stay positive.

    Best of luck,

    Mary