Calcifications on mammogram

Hi MissMack,

Okay, the first thing to know is that calcifications are very common. And most calcifications (something like 90%+) are benign.

But could they represent the presence of cancer? Yes. When calcifications look a certain way on mammogram imaging, and when they are found in certain formations (clustered and linear in particular), it might mean that there is cancer.

Most often, when calcifications are found without a suspicious mass or an area of distortion, the diagnosis - IF it is malignant - is DCIS. This is a non-invasive condition, and by some definitions, it is a pre-cancer. It's also possible that some invasive cancer might be present, but with no masses or distortion, it would be likely to be only a very small amount.

At this point, all that is known is that you have some calcifications. The diagnostic mammogram will take a much closer look at the calcifications to determine if the pattern is suspicious. The ultrasound will check further to see if there are any hidden masses. If there are no masses and the pattern isn't suspicious, then the radiologist will assess the imaging as a BI-RADs 3, and you will be sent on your way, probably with follow-up screening in 6 months. A BI-RADs 3 means that something was seen on the imaging, but the risk of cancer is 2% or less.

If there is any uncertainty about the appearance of the calcifications, then the radiologist will assign a BI-RADs 4 - this is assigned to any imaging where the radiologist assesses there to anything more than a 2% risk of cancer. With a BI-RADs 4, a biopsy is always recommended. Most BI-RADs 4 biopsies, 70% - 75%, are benign. So even if you are sent for a biopsy, it does not mean that you have cancer; it just means that the radiologist needs more information.

With just a mammogram and a call-back, it is too early to freak out. Yes, it could be cancer but 90% of call-backs do not result in a diagnosis of cancer. And if it is cancer, with calcifications it could just be DCIS, or if not, only a very small invasive cancer. There are lots of possibilities. For now, try to focus on the the good ones and keep in mind that even the bad ones are most likely to end up being favorable.

Hi MissMack! I certainly can't add anything to what Beesie wrote. Just want to welcome you and send support.... Please keep us posted on new developments. Please keep in mind most of the time these are benign findings - hoping that is the case with you!

MissMack27, I can only give my experience with calcifications on mammogram. Way back in 2004 I was called back for calcifications multiple times on my L breast. I was going every six months and finally in 2007 they said all is stable and I can go back to yearly mammograms. I never had ultra sound, just diagnostic mammograms. Then soon after that I felt a lump on my R breast, totally unrelated to the issues with my L breast. My DCIS was not the usual scenario. I felt the lump and had no calcifications. As others have said on this thread, there is no way to know what is going on with your breast until all tests are completed. Hopefully all is well and you can move forward if not as you can see many many of us have been through BC with excellent outcomes. Good Luck

Ahhhhh then that makes more sense (Birads 4) and thus the biopsy..... I get what you're saying about the "probably" and words like that not necessarily providing patients comfort.... I think there is so much about words used that really are more about how medical people communicate with each other and we patients can get stuck on some of those...reading it oftentimes opposite to what they intend - because it's personal to us at that point.... Hopefully you can keep yourself distracted enough to help you get through the next week or so well enough. Do what you can to take care of yourself too - that goes a long way in coping....

You'll be numbed beforehand, as Alice said. I was given dinky little ice packs in the shape of a disc, and told to put them on the biopsy site. Before the biopsy, I thought that was nuts, no way could an ice pack help but oh my gosh it did!

Yeah that Mammo right after the biopsy good grief

This sounds like really good news. I've had fibroadenomas and there was no discussion of removing them. With some of the other things you mentioned they can be/are benign/pre-cancerous conditions they (may) want to remove.... After my final pathology post-surgery they found all kinds benign and precancerous conditions. Had I not had BMX the surgeon's P.A. said I would have had call back after call back and biopsy after biopsy.... They don't want some of those kinds of things sitting in breasts.... Let us know how your appointment goes please....