Breast calcifications

Breast calcifications are small spots (deposits) of calcium in the breast. They do not cause any symptoms and you cannot feel them. They are usually found during a routine breast x-ray (mammogram).

Calcifications are common and in most cases they are harmless. There are two types:

• macrocalcifications
• microcalcifications.

These are areas of calcium that look like big white dots or dashes on a mammogram.

Macrocalcifications are sometimes called benign coarse calcifications. They can develop naturally as breast tissue gets older and are harmless. They are not linked with cancer and do not need treatment or monitoring.

Macrocalcifications can develop in women of any age. But they are more common in women who have been through their menopause.

They may be caused by:

• calcium deposits in a cyst or in milk ducts as women get older
• previous injuries to the breast
• inflammation.

Calcium in the diet does not cause calcifications.

These are tiny calcium deposits that show up as small white specks on a mammogram. They are usually found in an area of the breast where cells are being replaced more quickly than normal.

Microcalcifications are not usually linked with cancer. But a group of them in one area of the breast (a cluster) may be a sign of:

• pre-cancerous changes
• early breast cancer.

A biopsy shows whether microcalcifications are non-cancerous (benign) or cancerous (malignant). Most microcalcifications are non-cancerous, and you will not need any treatment.

If there are cancer cells, it is usually a non-invasive breast cancer called ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS), or a very small, early breast cancer. These can both be treated successfully.