follow-up details

[Richa25]

Dear doctors

Had my first follow-up mammography. ..had lot of anxiety around it...It says benign round calcifications on the other breast....was there in the last years report too...the only difference being the axillary nodes that were not seen on mammography last year...this year it says few small benign axillary nodes seen..I have two questions

I have a pain in the medial region where the calcifications are...should I be concerned...my breast surgeon says I am fine

And is an annual mammography the only follow-up. ..is it sufficient to find out if there is a spread if any(when does a breast cancer fighter stop being suspicious about every ache...check up n all )

Thanks n best regards Richa

[rgci13]

Good question for all of us. Doc please answer.

[kontak TeamBCI]

Yes very right - we all will be waiting for Dr Sumeet to answer

[mintzz]

Yes,very true even after six years i would like to know the answer.please Dr Sumeet do reply.

[kontak TeamBCI]

Now a time is there when all our whole family is literally afraid of cancer - even a slight pain in any part of the body - feel as is it spreading?

[sumeet_shah Administrator]

1. No need for concern. Round calcifications are common, and since they have interpreted them as benign, there is no need to worry at all. As for the pain, I do not think it may be related to the calcifications at all. It may just be a routine pain.

2. Annual mammography is the ONLY follow up for an asymptomatic patient. At every three monthly or six monthly visit, your oncologist will ask you about other symptoms. If there are no other symptoms, there is no need for any other investigation. Only if there are other persistent symptoms, then some investigation may be needed.