What does calcification of breast tissue mean?
What does calcification of breast tissue mean?
Breast calcifications are clusters of calcium that develop in the breast. Usually painless, they are found on routine mammograms. This condition is more common in women over age 50. Calcifications can be a sign that a woman is at risk for developing breast cancer.
What do cancerous calcifications look like?
Calcifications. Calcifications are tiny calcium deposits within the breast tissue. They look like small white spots on a mammogram. They may or may not be caused by cancer.
Can breast calcifications turn to cancer?
Calcifications aren’t connected to the calcium in your diet. They also can’t develop into breast cancer. Rather, they are a “marker” for some underlying process that is occurring in the breast tissue. In most cases, the process is benign (not associated with cancer).
What do malignant breast calcifications look like?
D. 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.
Should I worry about breast calcifications?
Breast calcifications are common and most often not a cause for concern. However, there are some calcifications in the breast that might prompt further evaluation. We as breast imaging doctors know that the need for further workup is a cause of anxiety. We hope to relieve some of that anxiety by discussing breast calcifications in detail.
When breast calcifications are cancerous?
Breast calcifications are common on mammograms, and they’re especially prevalent after age 50. Although breast calcifications are usually noncancerous (benign), certain patterns of calcifications – such as tight clusters with irregular shapes and fine appearance – may indicate breast cancer or precancerous changes to breast tissue.
What is treatment for breast calcification?
Breast calcifications determined to be benign don’t need any more tests. They don’t need to be treated or removed. If the calcifications are potentially a sign of cancer, a biopsy is obtained. If cancer is found, it’ll be treated with a combination of: chemotherapy. radiation. surgery. hormone therapy.
How are breast calcifications treated?
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. If cancer is present, treatment may consist of surgery to remove the cancerous breast, radiation, and/or chemotherapy to kill any remaining cancer cells.