Hello everyone! My name is Gail. I have been reading posts and think you are all amazingly brave. I at this point have no diagnosis of breast cancer. Although I am very worried. My family has a heavy history of breast cancer as close to me as my mother and aunt. About six months ago I discovered a lump in my breast. Upon my mammogram new calcifications were found that were suspicious. I had a needle biopsy and the results came back non cancerous. Tomorrow I have a diagnostic mammogram as they are keeping an eye on the spot. They implanted a titanium marker in my breast to mark the area. Monday while showering I discovered a inch or larger hard mass in this breast. I am very thorough about my self breast exams and never noticed this large mass before. I am now in panic mode. Luckily I have my appt for follow up tomorrow so I can talk to my Dr. then but I don't understand how a mass of this size can so rapidly appear. I am 36 years old. Can anyone tell me anything about calcifications and if they had a mass grow that rapidly!  

Hi Gail. I have had calcifications and had a marker inserted to mark the spot they were. I developed cancer in the opposite breast. Try not to panic (easier said than done). There are a lot of masses that aren't cancerous but never take that for granted. This is just a fact and I'm not telling it to scare you. I had my annual physical including in March and had a 4 cm mass by June, 1.5 cm of it was inflamation. Cancer can grow fast. Have your mother or aunt been tested for the BRCA mutation? Good Luck and keep us posted.

Jeni Samples,45
Diagnosis: IDC, Stage 2, Grade 2, Triple Negative 7/15/11
Bilateral Mastectomy
Extensive family history, BRAC1+
4 A/C,4 Taxol done 12/7/11 
Hysterectomy 12/30/11, radiation finished 2/12

Hi Gail:

Calcifications are tricky.  From what the radiologist told me when mine were discovered is that 85-90% of the time they could be nothing but a sign of normal aging.  The 10-15% could be a form of pre-cancer.  For me, it was stage 0 DCIS. I would definitely talk to the doctor and get in there sooner than later.  Some cancers do develop quickly while others take longer.  It all depends on the type.  Since you will be seeing you doctor soon, let them decide the course to be taken.  There are types that do not show up on a mammogram in the earliest stage so again push the doctor about it.

Anything that wasn't there before should always be questioned.

Tina    
dx 2/1/11 DCIS
Lumpectomy 2/27 results DCIS/LCIS Stage 0 ER+ PR+
Bi-lateral Mastectomy 4/26 with expanders 
6/3 Surgery to remove contaminated expander due to infection.
7/22/11 Surgery to reinsert the expander. 
10/11/2011 Surgery to replace tissue expanders with implants. 
 

I'd echo all the above Gail and just wanted to send good wishes for clear results, please keep us posted!!

Tricia Keegan...From Ireland Dx July '05 IDC 3/9 nodes pos..triple positive..a/c x 4..Taxol/herceptin x 12
Herceptin 1yr ..rads x35 oophorectomy Aug '06
Currently taking Arimidex /Zometa 1 x yearly
Carepage- survivortricia