Women..mammograms

[kimmek]

Good Morning

Hope this day finds everyone well, Mom is doing wonderful these days, almost as if the last 9 months have been a bad dream. But now the nightmaree is starting again. Mom had her very first mammogram 2 weeks ago. They have called her back in for more pictures and a sonogram. She has know since last thursday and she goes back this thursday. I have told her this is pretty common as even too she could go back and they still want to do a biopsy. She is totally convinced she now has breast cancer. She seems more concerned about this than she ever was lung cancer. I have just recently had my first mammogram, it came back OK, so I really dont know a whole lot about this. It does not run in our family, Mom would be the first that we know of.

My question i guess is, has anyone been called back in and what is to be expected? What exactll is the process i guess for determing breast cancer. Any help or insight is greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance

Take care all

Kim

[Remembering Dave]

This is a stupid question and totally beside the point, but how old is your mother, getting her first mammagram?

The second thing is, yes, lots of people have been called back for a second mammagram or a sonogram and even a biopsy (which I think is usually a needle biopsy - not very comfortable but not surgery either) and have it come back benign. I think Sandy S here on the board, a SCLC survivor, went through that fairly recently. And I would bet that anything looking slightly suspicious on the film of a cancer survivor would get an even closer look.

My mom is a breast cancer survivor of six years. It was detected on a routine mammagram when she was in her '60's and was the size of "grains of sand". She had the sonogram, then the needle biopsy, and unfortunately it was malignant, but fortunately caught so early that all she needed was a lumpectomy, radiation, and not even chemo. The onco doc said because it was caught so early and because she was post-menopausal chemo was unnecessary.

So tell her not to worry.

And please keep us posted.

God Bless,

Karen

[Addie]

There are members here who've had both...so I'm sure they can provide you with more detailed information.

I've just had two breast cancer scares. From something noted on the mammo...they called me back in for an ultrasound...which in both cases proved the suspicious lumps to be cysts. It's rather easy, I think, to tell the difference between a fluid filled cyst and a mass with ultrasound. But it takes several days to get the test and results, and that's the worst part...the waiting and worrying.

Try to set the worrying aside UNLESS and UNTIL you need to worry!! Take it one step at a time. Most docs are very cautious these days about any breast lumps or iffy spots noted on a mammogram....and that is a good thing. It's why so many more women are surviving breast cancer.....early detection and more efficient treatments.

But again....these could be cysts they are seeing in your mom. You won't know until you know.....but meanwhile, try not to fret. We'll be vibing Mom for nothing but good news....but no matter what this turns out to me....I'm glad her docs are on top of it...and I'm glad you've had a mammo as a baseline. I had my baseline at age 38...and since my early 40's (and because I had heavily fibro-cystic breasts for years) I've had mammos every year since my early 40's. I'm 58 now. I still go annually....and am due soon. I'm just hoping they can DO the mammo this year without squishing my port in the blinkin' machine! Now THAT could hurt!!

[TAnn]

Kim,

My mother-in-law is going through the exact same thing right now. They saw something "suspicious" on her mammogram and called her back for another mammogram and a sonogram. Last Friday she had a consult w/the doc and he wants to set up a biopsy (needle biopsy). So for now she is waiting on that appointment. Sounds like they are in the same boat...

I think it is the ONLY thing to do when a lump is found. You must make sure it isn't cancer and do all the appropriate testing.

Praying for both of our moms....

TAnn

[chloesmom]

I had a mammogram in 2001 that I got called back about and had to go back in for magnification views. Those views showed some areas of microcalcifications that needed to be biopsied. My biopsy was done surgically and in the hospital under general anesthesia. I did go home afterwards, and the frozen section was positive for DCIS, or early stage breast cancer.

Final pathology had to be sent to Mayo Clinic for a second opinion as to any invasive tissue and it was Mayo's opinion that my tissue was positive for invasive cancer, but <2mm. I also had a positive margin, so had to go back for more surgery and had a sentinel lymph node biopsy which was negative.

I had radiation and no chemo because of the early stage. My cancer was estrogen receptor positive, which meant tamoxifen (an oral medication) for 5 years.

All in all, I feel very lucky to have caught it early, and it was only because I was being watched carefully that we caught my lung tumor. The breast surgeon found it as part of a follow-up exam two years later.

One in 7 women will get breast cancer, but 80% of all lumps are benign. Early detection is very important in breast cancer.

PM me if you want any more details....I've been there.

Cindy

[Andrea]

It is VERY common to be called back. They will just take more films, the ultrasound is easy, and either say come back in 1 year, come back in 6 months, or do a biopsy. Don't panic yet because soooooo many of us have gotten called back!!!

With me, it is come back in 6 months to watch a nodule. It happens soooo often.

Keep us posted!

[annjael]

Well I know a bit about how this goes. I had a total hysterectomy at 32 and went on estrogen therapy until I was 52. I was about 47 and I had a mammogram come back with a suspicious area that oddly enough showed up on mammogram, but not an ultrasound. I went to a cancer surgeon , it was biopsied ,and turned out to be a benign cyst. However, by the time they got though with the placing the needle in before surgery and taking more xrays, I thought I would probably glow in the dark I then had to be checked every 6 months and mammos once a year from then on. Right after my husband died I went for my usual mammogram and it came back with another suspicious area. I was terrified! Back again to my cancer surgeon who determined it was a cyst again, and that he wouldnt even mess with it as it was the size of a pea. That was 2001. I have had a yearly mammo since then and its gone, just some benign calcifications. We are called back if anything suspicious is seen. I think this is a good thing, it shows they are really looking these xrays over, and lets face it, if their liability keeps them on their toes, so be it! We are safer because of it. I understand your moms concern, it is scary and the first thing she would think is cancer. But hang in there, as another member wrote that so much of this stuff is benign, and call back isnt unusual or necessarily bad. Sorry I was so long winded. Prayers and good thoughts going out to you and your mom.

Peace

Annjael

[paddy]

Oh yes, I have been called back many times! I did have to have an area of pre- cancerous lumps removed once, but recently it was just a dense tissue area. Tell your Mom to try not to get too worked up about it, these days they do call-backs all the time. Prayers coming your Mom's way. Paddy

[stand4hope]

Kim,

I, too, got called back several years ago. They did a needle biopsy, but couldn't get to it because it was too deep, so they had to surgically remove it to do the biopsy. When they did the surgery, they found two cysts, and they were both benign.

Even though, they had to go down a ways to get to it, for me, it was the easiest surgery I've ever been through. I had almost no pain at all after the surgery, just a lot of swelling, and never took a single pain pill. I don't know if others had a similar experience or if it was painful, but for me it was quite easy. Well, the incision did get sore and itchy, and aggravating, but that was the worst of it. The anticipation was the hardest part.

Tell your mom to hang in there - and you, too!

Love,

Peggy

[Wendy]

I too just had a scare. I had my 1st mammogram - just turned 40. Got called back the next day - suspicious.

They did an ultrasound and then a needle biopsy (didn't feel much of anything and no pain med's either). They could tell instantly by what they withdrew from the needle that it wasn't cancer by the color of the fluid. After they did the biopsy they did another mammogram to make sure they got the suspicious cyst.

I will be praying that your mother gets similiar results and that it is just a scare.

Wendy

[gail]

Try not to worry until they tell you there is something to worry about.

Most call backs are nothing. .

You always have the option of taking the mammograms to a breast surgeon for another opinion. Make sure it is a breast surgeon, and not just a general surgeon.

For sure, let me know if you have more questions.

gail

[kimmek]

Thanks all

I appreciate your taking the time to help explain all this to me. I have just put this situation out of my mind and acting like there is nothing to worry about. It doesnt exist. But i guess deep down I am just scared to death. Like this cannot be happening. If I dont think or talk about it its not real.

I am sure too that all is OK and i know these things, but I just needed your reassurance. Thank you!! I will try to figure out how to email this thread to my mom and maybe put her mind at ease a bit. She goes at 9am tomorrow, do you think they will tell her anything then or is it another wait?

Take care,

Kim

[Elaine]

Kim

I am keeping you and your mom in my thoughts and prayers--and I sure hope the wait for news isn't long!

love and fortutude

elaine

[Rachel]

Wow, now that I get thinking about it I haven't had my boobs in a vise since I was dx. So I best make an appointment. Thanks, your thread reminded me. Good luck to all of you.

Fly Softly,

Rachel

[karen335]

If you have never had a mammo, they have

nothing to compare. Don't be alarmed, the doctors' are just

being thorough. Please feel safe and keeping all of

you in my prayers.

God Bless,

karen

[pamlee1]

Kim:

I just recently went thru the same thing. Received letter from Radiology that I needed more views and ultrasound; they saw a 12mm mass; scared me to death...Unable to get a repeat appt for 4 weeks so because I was so nervous I called Hopkins Breast Center and got a quicker appt. Many times the mammogram can't tell a lot; just areas that need further investigation. Mine turned out to be a cyst which they drained. Tell your mom to try not to worry (although I did) and try to go where they can do whatever is necessary to give you an answer same day. The waiting is just to awful to bear.

Pam