Forum Discussion

WA2018's avatar
WA2018
Member
7 years ago

Is there a 'waiting on results' section? If not, this is re 'calcifications' on mammo high risk.

Hi everyone,

I feel like I'm 'jumping the gun' here in 'newly diagnosed'. Could have sworn I saw a 'waiting on results' area but maybe I'm confusing my searches.

I am considered high-risk and have been attending the highrisk clinic for approx. 15 years. 

This year, they called me back into the mammo room and asked to take more pictures and the technician showed me the calcifications they were concerned about. Approx 5 very small but bright spots fairly close together.

It was last Friday so I was told they would send the pics on to 2 specialists and I would get a call if anything further is needed. I feel positive that - suspicious or not - I'll be called back due to my high risk. I can't even sneeze without getting referred to someone so I don't think they'll feel confident saying 'wait and see' with me.

So, of course now and I am googling DCIS and similar.

There are a few 'prongs' to this question so not sure where the post fits.

I am a candidate for prophylactic surgery. I always had this theory that I would continue high-surveillance, and not entertain the thought of surgery unless 'something came up'. And then, strangely enough, about 6 months ago I decided to make the appointments purely to be properly informed about surgery - I was so sick of urban myth and staff-room conversations where people with no idea think they can make stupid ill-informed comments. Anyway, I had the appointments and decided not to go any further with queries.

Hmm, so here we are. Way too early I know but I am wondering about how much gets excised for removing DCIS, lumpectomies, etc. Too vague / too big a question. Maybe I'm looking for ppl who've had prophylactic surgery without ever being diagnosed - anyone 'fit-that-bill' here? 

Gosh, not sure what I'm asking but this is where I'm at. Hopefully tomorrow (Monday) I'll get a call either way.

thanks.

calcifications
coping
screening
surgery
  • kmakm's avatar
    kmakm
    Member
    7 years ago
    Waiting for test results are the absolute pits. You really have to try to stay in the moment as best you can and not cross any bridges until you come to them.

    How much tissue is removed very much depends on the size of your DCIS/tumour. Women with small breasts sometimes go straight to mastectomy as a lumpectomy is too disfiguring.

    I had a wide local excision, a re-excision for margins, and after chemo, a double mastectomy and reconstruction. Click on my name to read my bio for details. Strictly speaking the removal of my left breast was prophlactic. But as my risk of another breast cancer was 26% - 44% I don't regard it as anything other than necessary.

    You need to be really clear in your head about the decision, on your emotions, the psychological impact and the medical statistics. Talk to your breast surgeon, counsellors, yourself, your partner, friends etc. Really stress test the decision.

    Let us know how you get on.
  • WA2018's avatar
    WA2018
    Member
    7 years ago
    Sister said:
    @onemargie re: proph surgery? @kmakm?

    I'm still at the start of things @WA2018 You haven't said whether you have treatment in the past so I'm not sure if you're talking about the other breast or this is the initial result from screening.  I had surgery for right side in December which quickly turned from a wide excision to a mastectomy with axillary dissection.  I never had a symptom - at least that I was aware of.  A's I come up to my first 12 month check, I'm anxious about what will be found and I'm thinking about the possibility of prophylactic removal of the left breast - hell, at this stage reconstruction is an unkown for me!

    Good luck with your results and come back with any questions.

    Thanks so much for your reply. I've had no bc , just surveillance every year.  So I am starting to think about options but really am doing that panic mode thing where you don't really know what the facts are & decide to stress out anyway. Hopefully they'll ring today and I'll have a factual understanding of what's happening. 

    Thanks for reaching out.
  • Sister's avatar
    Sister
    Member
    7 years ago
    @onemargie re: proph surgery? @kmakm?

    I'm still at the start of things @WA2018 You haven't said whether you have treatment in the past so I'm not sure if you're talking about the other breast or this is the initial result from screening.  I had surgery for right side in December which quickly turned from a wide excision to a mastectomy with axillary dissection.  I never had a symptom - at least that I was aware of.  A's I come up to my first 12 month check, I'm anxious about what will be found and I'm thinking about the possibility of prophylactic removal of the left breast - hell, at this stage reconstruction is an unkown for me!

    Good luck with your results and come back with any questions.