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
