im so scared right now :'[?

Question

my mom got a mammogram yesterday and the doctor called and asked to talk to her (shes not here) they sounded all urgent and serious and asked for her cell phone
what if she has breast cancer or something?
i'm panicked!!

Answer 1

There are a few reasons why a woman would be called back for more images after a mammogram. Vary rarely, the images are of poor quality or have an artifact on them. This doesn't happen often because the mammographer checks her images before she lets the patient leave. Occasionally, the mammographer will miss something that the radiologist catches.

More often, there is an area of the image that needs further evaluation. This could be because the patient has dense breast tissue. Dense tissue appears white on the x-ray film....and so do all signs of breast cancer (both masses/lumps or calcifications). You cannot see white pathology through white, dense tissue. It is like trying to see a white volleyball in a the snow in a photograph. Sometimes, compression views are needed in these cases, just to ensure nothing is "hiding" behind that white tissue.

Other times, the radiologist sees a mass or calcifications. Many masses and different types calcifications are benign. There are special views we can take (magnification views) which will show those exact areas better. In the case of microcalcifications, these images will show the edges of the calcifications in more detail, so the radiologist can determine which type they are. In the far majority of cases, the radiologist will determine they are benign....not cancer. Even after these special views, a radiologist might ask for a breast ultrasound, and maybe even a biopsy. Even if your mom's case goes as far as a biopsy, around 85% of these are benign.

Worst case scenerio, your mother may eventually diagnosed with breast cancer. But, if you think about it logically, this is not life ending. It means that she was diagnosed early....before she had an advanced lump that could be felt. This is what regular screening mammography is designed to do! Mammography is designed to find early breast cancers, which can not be felt. The survival rate, in these cases, is about 96%!

So, it is not a bad sign to be called back for more images. It probably happens to about 1 in 10 women after their screening mammogram. Best wishes.......

Answer 2

Don't panick, because it doesn't have to be cancer. Not all lumps are cancerous. Maybe they want to do an ultrasound or take another picture. If they saw something on the Mammogram, then they will do a biopsy to determine what it is. So, don't worry to much.

Answer 3

If it is breast cancer, she will have treatment which can vary depending on what she wants to do. It is scary when you don't know what is going on. Talk to other family members and all of you support each other through anything that could happen.

Answer 4

If your mom goes for a yearly breast exam....like every woman should...then they probably caught the problem in the beginning. Don't worry until you find out what is wrong. You need to be strong for the sake of your mother....this isn't about you....it is about her. Be there for her, don't panic and make her feel worse.

Answer 5

Don't worry. All doctors sound urgent and serious when they talk.

Answer 6

Don't worry yet. The films might have to be redone or it could be dark stops or fluid cysts.
Talk to her.
Good luck and hope for the best

Answer 7

most of the time abnormal images are still benign
also, breast cancer is one of the most curable cancer

Answer 8

They could have seen something that didn't look just right, and need to repeat it. Don't worry until you have something to worry about.