I had a routine mammogram a couple of weeks ago. Not my favorite “non-invasive” test, as any woman knows. As the tech was arranging me for the inevitable squash grip of the mammography mammoth, I asked her why she had chosen this particular technical specialty. Her answer: “Because it saves lives.”
Fair enough. Fifteen minutes later, I was glad to be done with it for another year and on my way home.
Or so I thought. A week ago Sunday, I received an email about a new message for me in MyChart, my online portal for medical records and communication with my teams here at home and at Boston Medical. I took a look. No problems in the right breast. Here’s what it said about the left: “Indeterminate calcifications in the upper outer quadrant require additional views. Diagnostic mammogram is recommended for further evaluation.”
Calcium deposits in breast tissue (I learned, from a quick internet search) can be a precurser to breast cancer. A letter in my file indicated that I should set up an appointment for another series of X-rays, adding this supposedly reassuring sentence: “Most such findings are benign (not cancer).” Probably just a nuisance, I concluded. But I wondered, with so much calcinosis in my fingers, could this actually have something to do with my scleroderma? And what would that mean?
As luck would have it, I had a routine appointment with my Boston Medical rheumatologist the next day, so I filled him in and asked what he thought. Was it possible to have calcinosis from scleroderma in breast tissue? Sure enough, yes, it’s possible. Indeed, it’s possible for calcinosis to show up in all kinds of strange places. He shared a research study with X-rays of some pretty dense (and very uncomfortable-looking) calcification of breast tissue. We talked at length about how to proceed, how to avoid unnecessary diagnostics, and more, and concluded that he would send a referral to Boston Medical’s breast health clinic, which is one of their top specialty clinics, to get me into their queue, just in case.
I went home in a terrible mood. Before I had thought this was probably nothing, but after that conversation, it felt like something more serious. I called the radiology clinic at home and was able to get an appointment for first thing the next morning to do the additional mammograms. I was told that I would get results at the appointment, which I appreciated.
When I got to radiology last Tuesday morning, I told the tech that I have calcinosis from scleroderama. She did not think that would be a likely factor in the results, but I asked her, nonetheless, to tell the radiologist. After three very squished close-up scans of my left breast, I waited in the exam room for the outcome. The radiologist came in and said the words I was hoping to hear: not related to breast cancer. I have “calcification of some small vessels” from scleroderma. Nothing to worry about.
What a relief! When I got home, I wrote my rheumatologist about the results and asked what that meant. Would some calcified small blood vessels lead to eventual tissue death? Was there anything more to understand about this? His answer: “Calcinosis unfortunately remains a mystery.” I can live with that. No sense speculating about it. I’ll find out in due time if it matters or not, and meanwhile, there’s nothing to be done.
So, there you have it. This very strange disease continues to throw some very wild curve balls. But at least this episode wasn’t as scary as it seemed. I write this post for you, Dear Reader. Mammograms do save lives. They can also create uncertainty and may require clarification. In case you get a similar worrisome result from a mammogram, be sure to advocate for yourself and explain your full medical situation. It matters.
Evelyn Herwitz blogs weekly about living fully with chronic disease, the inside of baseballs, turtles and frogs, J.S. Bach, the meaning of life and whatever else she happens to be thinking about at livingwithscleroderma.com. Please view Privacy Policy here.
Image: John Cafazza
I have been reading your blog for nearly twelve years now since I was initially diagnosed with Systemic Scleroderma at the age of fifty. Eight years subsequent to my initial diagnosis I experienced a full blown, near fatal scleroderma renal crisis. I have since mostly recovered, but I wanted you to know that, throughout my journey, I have always appreciated your informative and insightful writing. Keep up the good fight Evelyn and know that your wisdom is helpful to those of us who stand with you.
Thank you, Donna, for your kind words. I’m glad to know that you’ve mostly recovered from your renal crisis. I’m sure that must have been a terrifying experience, and I hope your health continues to strengthen. Feedback like yours is the reason I’ve continued to write this blog all these years. Take care, and be well.
I am glad it wasn’t cancer. I am 40 and have my first mammogram coming up. I have scleroderma, rheumatoid arthritis and lupus overlap. Lately my body has been breaking out fairly rapidly in lumps under my skin in several areas of my body and what I just recently found out was calcinosis. I was recently just wondering if they were going to show up in my breasts because they are mostly all in fatty areas of my body. Google results are pretty frightening. The ones on my butt are starting to be a little bothersome when I sit. I just want to pretend this is as far as it’ll go but my fear is it’ll advance to the disfiguring images I’ve seen on Google. I hope for both of us, they stay put and don’t grow any further. I thought I had escaped the calcinosis thus far, 5 years in, but it’s just been hiding out. Good luck to youm
Amanda, thank you for sharing what you’re going through. I’m so sorry to hear about your discomfort. Calcinosis is really mysterious, as my rheumatologist told me. Every one of my docs has said the same thing. No one knows what causes it, and there is as of yet no remedy. However, stay away from Dr. Google! Too much scary stuff online, and this disease is unique to each individual. That’s really important to remember! What you see online and what actually happens in your unique case are quite different.
I hope you have a good rheumatologist and other specialists, given your overlapping diagnoses. That’s a lot to manage. If there is a scleroderma support group in your community, that might be worth a visit, to see if it would be a helpful resource as you deal with all of this. I list some reliable online resources on my blog. Also, Johns Hopkins has good information here: https://www.hopkinsscleroderma.org/scleroderma/. Take care, and good luck with your mammogram.