microcalcifications on a mamogram(mammogram)

what are the statistics that microcalcifications are or aren't  cancerous?

[iam1butterfly]

Microcalcifications or breast calcifications are small calcium deposits (as the name suggests, a microcalcification is the result of increased calcium in one area of the breast) that appear inside the breast tissue and resemble white spots... usually, they're very tiny.

According to statistics, 80% of microcalcifications are benign, and so the appearance of these alone shouldn’t be enough to cause alarm. In fact many women have them (they are even more common after the menopause) and almost every woman will have some on their mammogram at some point.

[zouzi]

Hi
Calcifications are a normal part of the aging process. In some situations, they can form around cancerous or precancerous conditions. If the calcifications are numerous, scattered throughout the breast or large, there tends to be less concern.However, when calcifications are clustered and small, the concern arises as to whether they are forming around an abnormality.If these calcifications are suspicious ,a biopsy is usually recommended.Many clustered calcification return a benign finding though as" iam1butterfly"has suggested.
You just have to keep the follow-up recommendation to check if these calcifications are changing and need to be further investigated.
Best wishes...

[mgainer92]

thank you for your responses! i am a little concerned because they found these due to pain i have been having in my right breast. i am only 36 yr old and they have also detected a small lump in the same breast but say they aren't worried about the lump at all just the small cluster of microcalcifications. does this sound normal to either of you?  thank you again!

[zouzi]

Hi again
If you had a Mammogram/Ultrasound,the radiologist viewing the films must have concluded that the lump is not suspicious (Could be a simple cyst ) If the lump had suspicious characteristics, he/she would have certainly recommended to have the lump biopsied.
The concern is actually about the clustered microcalcification and as a rule when there is a suspicion because of their pattern,a biopsy is recommended.
As we mentioned before,you shouldn't be overly worried about it ,many clustered calcification return a benign finding and this could be true for you too.
Take care and think BENIGN!.. :)

[iam1butterfly]

If by “normal,” do you mean… is prioritizing the microcals over the small lump an appropriate approach? Yes.

Like zouzi said... lumps are often found to be benign cysts. And, maybe there’s nothing particularly remarkable or suspicious about it to warrant further investigation. Whereas the microcals, especially those that form in clusters, would raise more of a concern because when they form that way that might suggest that there's an abnormality within the surrounding breast tissue that's triggering the cluster growth.

Your age, I suspect, might also be part of the concern regarding the microcals... as 36 is kinda young to be developing them.

Again, the stats are in your favor that the cals are benign... but only a biopsy can conclusively determine that. If I may ask, will you be undergoing a biopsy?

[mgainer92]

i just found out about al of this on thursday, and i have to wait for a referal through my insurance company so i don't have a date for biopsy yet. thank you both for answering my questions! i truely appriciate your time