Spotting Calcification of the Breast on a Mammogram

By Dr. Kathleen Ruddy

Being diagnosed with breast cancer can be very scary, and it can be difficult to understand all the factors of your diagnosis. When your doctor says that there are breast calcifications on your mammogram, you may wonder what to think. Breast calcifications are simply small calcium deposits that may develop in the breast tissue over time. They are generally not cancerous, but in some cases, they may indicate the early stages of breast cancer. It is important that breast calcifications be diagnosed by your doctor and that you understand exactly what calcification means.

Types of Calcification

There are two types of breast calcifications: These are macro-calcifications and micro-calcifications. Since both types of calcifications are too small to be felt, you will only know you have one if you have had a mammogram. Macro-calcifications appear as large white dots on a mammogram and are typically found to be randomly dispersed within the breast tissue. They are very common, especially in women over the age of 50, and typically benign which means not cancerous. In comparison, micro calcifications appear as tiny white specks on a mammogram, and while they are typically benign, if they appear in certain patterns or in large clusters, they may be a sign of early breast cancer.

Classifications of Breast Calcification

Your doctor will identify the type of calcification, if and when it is present. Benign calcifications are considered harmless and will not be treated. These are the most common types of calcifications and occur in nearly 50 percent of women over 50 years old. “Probably benign” indicates less than two percent of risk for breast cancer. If your doctor believes your calcifications are probably benign, your calcifications will be monitored for a year or two to assure that the calcifications are not changing or spreading. “Suspicious” calcifications can indicate early stages of breast cancer and will likely need to be biopsied in order to see if they are benign or malignant. If the cells are malignant, your doctor may recommend treatment ranging from radiation to surgery.

DID YOU KNOW?

Although any news coming from the doctor relating to cancer can be frightening, it does not always mean death. Approximately 80 percent of all breast calcifications are benign, and the majority of them will not even need to be biopsied or tested for cancerous cells.

Understanding Breast Calcifications

Breast calcifications do not cause symptoms, so the only way to know you have them is through having mammograms done regularly. They are typically caused by normal aging, inflammation, or even past trauma in the area. It is important to note that there is no link between calcium intake in your diet and breast calcification. Women who receive routine mammograms and are diagnosed with breast calcifications may need treatment, if they are considered suspicious or precancerous. However, most women will simply be monitored by their doctors to assure that the calcifications are benign.

What Causes Breast Calcifications?

There are many surprising causes of breast calcifications, especially benign causes. They may be caused by natural aging or old injuries to the breast tissue. Deodorant deposits can also calcify in the skin like it would deposit in dilated milk ducts. If you have undergone radiation treatment for breast cancer, you may be more susceptible to benign calcifications. They may be caused naturally be calcification of the arteries within your breasts or calcification of a benign growth. In general, benign calcifications will occur in many women and can be considered a sign of healthy aging.

Calcifications of the breast are worth knowing because they are a sign of cancer that may help you catch it in its earliest stages. Indicators such as these are good reason to get regular mammograms and to talk to the doctor about any symptoms you may think you have. While calcifications rarely indicate the early stages of breast cancer, they can be a visible symptom that something may be wrong, Understanding breast calcifications, what causes them, and how to treat them will no doubt put your mind at ease if you spot calcifications on your mammograms. Make sure you discuss them with your doctor and take them seriously to avoid missing symptoms of breast cancer. You need to know how to spot it in order to fight back.

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