Microcalcifications in breast tissue can indicate early stage breast cancer or precancerous activity. Mammograms can detect these deposits, aiding in early diagnosis and effective treatment. Biopsies can confirm cancer, but most women with microcalcifications do not have breast cancer.
Microcalcifications and breast cancer can sometimes occur together. Microcalcifications, or microscopic bits of calcium, tend to build up in the area where cancer cells divide rapidly and form tumors. Microcalcifications are often detectable on mammograms, and doctors often consider them a sign of early stage breast cancer or an indication of precancerous activity in the breast tissue. While microcalcifications don’t always signal breast cancer, the relationship that may exist between microcalcifications and the development of tumors allows doctors to know to further investigate signs of cancer when microcalcifications appear.
Many women are diagnosed with early stage breast cancer after microcalcifications are found on mammogram results. Microcalcifications and breast cancer don’t always go hand in hand. Sometimes microcalcifications appear in conjunction with benign tumor growth. But spotting calcium buildup within the breast tissue can help doctors detect breast cancer in its earliest stages, when treatment may be most effective and the patient’s chances of survival are highest.
The tendency of microcalcifications and breast cancer or benign tumors to occur together helps make mammograms an effective diagnostic tool for breast cancer. These calcium deposits in the breast tissue can help doctors find breast cancer before a palpable tumor forms. They also aid in the early diagnosis of tumors that do not usually cause palpable tumors.
When calcium deposits are found in breast tissue, doctors typically use a combination of X-ray magnification and tissue biopsy to determine whether these deposits are signs of cancer or signs of benign development. X-ray magnification usually magnifies the mammogram image to the point where doctors can more closely examine the physical characteristics of the calcifications. By examining the shape, size, and amount of microcalcifications, doctors can usually determine whether breast cancer is possible. Most calcifications are benign. Even those originally classified as Possibly Malignant eventually turn out to be benign nearly 80% of the time.
Most women who are diagnosed with microcalcification in the breast do not have breast cancer. If cancer is suspected, a tissue biopsy can confirm it. Most women diagnosed with breast cancer at this stage survive with treatment. The five-year survival rate for detecting breast cancer at this early stage is about 97%.
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