Home | Contact Us | FAQ | Search & Site Map | Link to Us
Sign In | Join | Other 45 Sites in Network
Home
Discussion Groups
General
GeneralCardiologyVisionDentistryPharmacyLaboratoryNutritionAlternative
Diseases and Disorders
AIDSAlzheimer'sArthritisAsthmaCancerBreast CancerDiabetesEpilepsyGlaucomaHepatitisHerpesLupusProstate BPHProstate CancerProstatitisSinusitisTinnitus

Medical Forum / Diseases and Disorders / Breast Cancer / May 2007

Tip: Looking for answers? Try searching our database.

Newbie question

Thread view: 
Enable EMail Alerts  Start New Thread
Thread rating: 
Splodge - 20 May 2007 06:37 GMT
In addition to a "cloudy area" in my breast, the x-rays very clearly show
some small calcium spots. I get all the results of the core biopsy, x-rays
etc on May 29th.

I'm trying to find out online what the calcium spots actually mean and how
they might be treated or obliterated.

Can anyone point me in the direction of websites, or give any advice? I am
61 years of age.

Thanks if you can help
Jan
Tim Jackson - 20 May 2007 11:03 GMT
> In addition to a "cloudy area" in my breast, the x-rays very clearly show
> some small calcium spots. I get all the results of the core biopsy, x-rays
[quoted text clipped - 8 lines]
> Thanks if you can help
> Jan

Simply put, the microcalcifications mean something died.  They are the
crystalline residue left behind when cells undergo programmed death.
They can be due to injury, benign growths, tumours or other changes in
the tissues (perhaps sudden changes in weight).

The importance of them is that cancers usually create a shell of
microcalcifications around themselves where they have invaded the
surrounding tissue, and that they show up on x-rays.  A skilled
radiologist can tell from their layout and position whether a particular
group is likely to be caused by something malignant.  But it is only
probabilities, rarely a definite diagnosis, so if an area looks
suspicious it is usually biopsied.

I don't think there is any way of removing them, you could of course cut
them out, but the scarring from surgery would probably create more than
it removed, and they are of themselves harmless anyway.

Tim Jackson
Splodge - 20 May 2007 18:40 GMT
>> In addition to a "cloudy area" in my breast, the x-rays very clearly show
>> some small calcium spots. I get all the results of the core biopsy,
[quoted text clipped - 25 lines]
> them out, but the scarring from surgery would probably create more than it
> removed, and they are of themselves harmless anyway.

Thank you Tim, that's very helpful
Jan
 
Sign In
Join
My Latest Posts
My Monitored Threads
My Blog
My Photo Gallery
My Profile
My Homepage

Start New Thread
Enable EMail Alerts
Rate this Thread



©2008 Advenet LLC   Privacy Policy - Terms of Use
This website includes both content owned or controlled by Advenet as well as content owned or controlled by third parties.