Breast calcifications are calcium deposits found through screening mammograms. When calcium builds up in soft tissue, it can appear like small white specks or salt crystals on diagnostic images. These spots can be found in various organs, such as the lungs or brain, but they’re commonly found in breast tissue with screening mammograms. Show
“Breast calcifications are pretty common, but most people don’t know they have them unless they have been mentioned on prior mammogram reports,” says Mark Dryden, M.D. So, are these white spots a sign of cancer? Here, Dryden answers this and three more questions about breast calcifications. Are breast calcifications a sign of cancer? They’re often benign, but calcifications can sometimes be an earlysign of breast cancer. “The most common form of cancer we see with calcifications is ductal carcinoma in situ, which is considered stage 0 cancer,” Dryden says. Benign calcifications are often scattered throughout both breasts. If one breast has calcifications and the other doesn’t, that could be a sign that we need to take a closer look at them. “Breasts are often symmetrical, so when we see that one breast has calcifications and the other doesn’t, that could be a red flag,” Dryden says. Calcifications can also be a sign of non-cancerous conditions and may represent a benign process. Fibrocystic breasts, which feel lumpy or rope-like in texture, can also be associated with calcifications. What causes breast calcifications? Though they are made of a buildup of calcium, a calcium-rich diet won’t cause calcifications. “You’re not going to get breast calcifications from drinking too much milk,” Dryden says. It’s not clear exactly what causes calcium to settle into certain parts of the body, but Dryden stresses this condition is common. What happens if breast calcifications show up on a mammogram? Benign calcifications can have distinct features when looked at under magnification, so Dryden says your radiologist may be able to rule out cancer by just looking at them more closely. “We have different techniques to get a closer view of calcifications,” Dryden says. These techniques are performed just like a regular mammogram, but with stronger imaging technology to focus on the spots called magnification views. For benign calcifications, you won’t need further treatment. And, since calcifications don’t move around, they’ll be documented in your health history. That way, the person performing any future screenings will take note of pre-existing calcifications. If there’s a suspicion of cancer, you’ll likely undergo a biopsy. “But just because you need a biopsy doesn’t mean you’re going to get a cancer diagnosis,” Dryden says. “A biopsy is also a way to prove something is benign.” Using a needle and image-guided techniques, your doctor will take a sample of tissue containing the calcifications from inside the breast, then send it to pathologists, who will determine if the sample is cancerous, benign, or pre-cancerous. If the calcifications are pre-cancerous, you may need to have surgery to remove them. If your calcifications are cancerous, your care team will discuss treatment options with you. Can I prevent breast calcifications? It’s not clear why some people have breast calcifications and some don’t. “There aren’t risk factors or lifestyle factors that cause calcifications as far as we know,” Dryden says. The best way to be aware of them is to schedule regular screening mammograms based on your individual risk. Women at average risk of developing breast cancer should get a mammogram every year starting at age 40. “Talk to your doctor about your individual risk to get the recommended screening schedule for you,” Dryden says. Request an appointment at MD Anderson online or by calling 1-877-632-6789. Calcifications in the breast can be benign or malignant. They can appear as either macrocalcifications or microcalcifications on a mammogram (i.e. an X-ray of the breast). Macrocalcifications look like large white dashes or dots and are mostly noncancerous and no further tests are required usually.
Microcalcifications in Breast Microcalcifications are a reliable early sign of breast cancer and can be detected with the help of mammography. Microcalcifications can also give an idea of the extent of the disease. They are usually noncancerous, although some patterns can be a sign of cancer. Information about the size, density, and distribution of breast microcalcifications can give an idea about the benign or malignant nature of the cancer. Also, more and more studies are linking mammary microcalcifications to lymph node invasion, HER-2 positivity, as well as poor prognosis for some patients with breast cancer. How To Catch Breast Cancer Early: Stanford Doctors Explain Mammography Options The Importance of MicrocalcificationsMicrocalcifications are actually calcium deposits and are seen as tiny, white dots on a mammogram. They are much less common and are mostly a result of mutations in the breast tissue, though they can be caused by other factors. The appearance of microcalcifications is widely used in the detection of breast cancer at an early stage and can lead to better outcomes. Related Stories
Nearly 50% of non-palpable cancers in the breast are detected only by the presence of microcalcifications on a mammogram, and approximately 93% of people with ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) also present with microcalcifications. Microcalcifications in the breast are very common in women and some studies have observed significant variations in the elemental composition of benign and malignant calcifications. Types of Breast MicrocalcificationsBreast microcalcifications can be divided into many types based on their form, size, density, and distribution. Breast microcalcifications can occur in many different shapes or forms. They can be linear, round, granular, coarse, monomorphic when all of them having the same shape, or pleomorphic when several different shapes are present. They can also form clusters or groups. When size is considered, breast microcalcifications can be either large or small, or in clusters with a mix of small and large microcalcifications. Furthermore, breast microcalcifications can have low, high, or variable density. When they are clustered, their homogeneous or non-homogeneous nature should be noted. Finally, the distribution of breast microcalcifications refers to their placement on the mammogram. Microcalcifications can be unilateral or bilateral, multifocal, segmental, linear, diffuse, or regional. Benign, Suspicious or Malignant Breast MicrocalcificationsSeveral factors must be taken into account while deciding if a lesion is benign or malignant. Radiologists rely on breast microcalcifications as a possible indicator for breast cancer; however, only histological analysis can confirm this. When studying microcalcifications, if different findings lead to the same result (benign or malignant), then those predictions can be considered reliable. In general, when the distribution of microcalcifications is diffuse or bilateral, when they have a round and/or punctuate shape, or when they are scattered in the breast tissue, the condition is usually benign. On the other hand, if microcalcifications have a linear or branching pattern with irregular borders, or if they have variable density, or when they are distributed in a haphazard or segmental way, there is a high probability that it is ductal carcinoma in situ or malignant cancer. The nature of microcalcifications cannot always lead to a conclusive diagnosis and in such cases they are said to be ‘suspicious‘ – thus, a biopsy is required to confirm the benign or malignant nature of the cancer. If the distribution of the microcalcifications is linear and they are in round, oval, or amorphous form, they are termed as ‘suspicious’. Radiologists usually term a variable distribution density where the breast microcalcifications are closely packed at one place and widely spread at another as ‘suspicious’, and not definitive, for cancer. It is referred to as ‘cluster of suspicious-looking microcalcifications0 on a mammogram report. Benign lobular calcifications are usually round in shape and have a relatively higher density. They normally have pearl-like or well-defined contours and smooth borders. If the acinar lumen are small, they look punctate and have tiny spots on them. Further Reading
Last Updated: Feb 26, 2019  Written by Susha CheriyedathSusha has a Bachelor of Science (B.Sc.) degree in Chemistry and Master of Science (M.Sc) degree in Biochemistry from the University of Calicut, India. She always had a keen interest in medical and health science. As part of her masters degree, she specialized in Biochemistry, with an emphasis on Microbiology, Physiology, Biotechnology, and Nutrition. In her spare time, she loves to cook up a storm in the kitchen with her super-messy baking experiments. CitationsPlease use one of the following formats to cite this article in your essay, paper or report:
Suggested ReadingWhat are the odds of breast calcifications being cancerous?The study notes that calcifications are the only sign of breast cancer in 12.7 to 41.2 percent of women who undergo further testing after their mammogram. Researchers found that 54.5 percent of calcifications that are associated with cancer could have been potentially diagnosed earlier.
Can suspicious microcalcifications be benign?''Suspicious'' calcifications may be benign or an early sign of cancer; therefore, your doctor may recommend that you have a biopsy. During a biopsy, a small amount of breast tissue containing the calcification is removed and sent to a laboratory to be examined for cancer cells.
What percentage of suspicious calcifications are cancer?According to one study, suspicious calcifications that require follow-up testing turn out to be cancer approximately 12% to 40% of the time.
What percentage of breast biopsies come back as cancer?Suspicious mammographic findings may require a biopsy for diagnosis. More than 1 million women have breast biopsies each year in the United States. About 20 percent of these biopsies yield a diagnosis of breast cancer.
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What percentage of biopsied microcalcifications are cancerous
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