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OncoLink FAQ: Calcification Findings on a Mammogram Last Revision Date: Sunday, 14-Feb-1999 13:54:29 EST Copyright © 1994-1999, The Trustees of the University of Pennsylvania This is a response to a question about the finding of calcifictions on a mammogram. Question: My wife had a mammogram this week and was told that "calcifications" were seen in the left breast. She has been advised to see a surgeon and schedule a biopsy. Would you please explain "calcifications" and discuss the probability of malignancy. Thank you for your time and help, J.D. Kenneth Blank, MD and John Han-Chih Chang, MD, OncoLink Editorial Assistants, respond: Dear J.D., Thank you for your interest and question. Mammography picks up calcifications in breast tissue from a variety of etiologies (causes). Benign causes include fibro(cystic)adenomas, duct stasis, fat necrosis, and atherosclerosis. Tumor or malignant calcifications appear because of the luminal (in the breast ducts) debris of ductal carcinoma. There are a vast number of considerations when determining whether calcifications are malignant or not. For carcinomas, there are classic linear, cast-like or branching appearances to the calcifications with irregular patterns. The more numerous the calcifications aggregated in one area, the higher the likelihood of a malignant etiology. The distribution of the calcifications also determines the chance of malignancy -- the more irregular the shape, the higher likelihood of malignancy. Finally, repeat mammograms can determine the stability of the calcifications -- obviously, if they do not change over a specified period of time, the chances are lower that malignancy is the cause. The radiologist takes these and other variables in consideration when determining etiology of mammographic calcifications. Recommendations are made to either repeat the mammogram in a few to several months or biopsy. We cannot give you a probability of malignancy in your wife╒s situation, since we have not reviewed her films, but it appears that the radiologist is concerned enough to warrant a biopsy. Please refer to our breast cancer menu for further information on mammograms and breast cancer.

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