Help! BIRADS 4 20% or 25-50% chance of cancer?

ladyjanegray · New User Joined: 06 Nov 2007 Posts: 1

I have just been advised to have a biopsy for BIRADS 4 cluster microcalcification. Why is it that some sites (namely johns hopkins) say the chances of cancer in this case is 20% and other sites say 25-50%. It is very confusing as one puts the risk quite low and the other quite high. Also 25-50% is such a wide range - why is this?

Thanks

brainman

Maybe they are reporting results from different studies. The range looks like it may have come for a compilation of reviews of medical journals. Yes, it is a wide range. That just shows how much uncertainty the research still has.

Best wishes.
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Muttsmom

I agree with Jim. There is so much uncertainty when it comes to this disease.

I'm a firm believer in biopsies since I was told I was fine and come back in a year when the mammogram and ultra sound didn't find the lump that me and the doctor could feel and I ended up Stage III BC. Also, since it's the only way to know for sure, peace of mind if it's B9 and if it is cancer, catch it early.

Let us know and try not to look at stats. Stats are numbers and we are people. They do studies and they have to use stats based on their findings.
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bluephoenixx · New User Joined: 10 Jul 2007 Posts: 9

I went through this, too. It's hard give an actual percentage because different facilities can have different rates of false positives and the numbers of those whose mammograms actually turn up malignant after biopsy. Mine was a BIRAD 4 and biopsy was strongly advised, but that was mostly due to the fact that it was my first mammogram in eight years (after one in my 30's to check for what turned out to be a simple cyst).

BTW, my biopsy and cyst contents both turned out benign. Smile

If a stereotaxic biopsy can be done and you've had more than one professional opinion on the mammogram, combined with a good history and taking other exam findings into consideration, it might not be a bad idea -- just to be sure what you're dealing with. On microcalcifications, know that many things can contribute to them, not just cancer. But if it IS cancer, the sooner you know, the better! (That said, I do think many radiologists and surgeons are scared to death of missing a cancer for fear of lawsuits and so end up erring on the side of medical paranoia, but it's still YOUR health and life we're talking about.)

Good luck, continue educating yourself, but don't sweat it too much. There's lots of help and information out there either way. Take care.

Gail

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