SYMPTOMS

What are breast calcifications?

Breast calcifications are calcium deposits that develop in breast tissue, often detected during mammography. They can be classified as benign or malignant calcifications ^[1].

Most breast calcifications are benign, typically caused by mastitis, benign breast tumors, or hyperplasia. However, a small portion may result from necrosis of malignant tumor cells ^[1].

Breast calcifications can provide diagnostic clues for breast diseases. Malignant calcifications, in particular, serve as crucial evidence for early-stage breast cancer detection, significantly reducing patient mortality rates ^[2].

What are the symptoms of breast calcifications?

Breast calcifications themselves do not cause symptoms, but underlying breast conditions may present with the following:

• Mastitis: Localized redness, swelling, warmth, pain, or nipple discharge.
• Hyperplasia: Lumps and tenderness in one or both breasts, often worsening before menstruation and improving afterward ^[3].
• Fibroadenoma: Usually asymptomatic, though some patients may feel rubbery, movable lumps ^[3].
• Breast cancer: Early stages may show no symptoms. As it progresses, signs may include localized swelling, skin dimpling, flattened/retracted nipples, discharge, or breast pain ^[3].

TREATMENT

How to treat breast calcification?

The key lies in whether there is an underlying disease. Doctors will choose appropriate treatment methods based on different causes and the patient's individual condition.

• Drug Therapy

  1. Antibiotics: For patients with mastitis, suitable antibiotics such as penicillin or cephalosporins should be selected based on pathogen culture and drug sensitivity results. Lactating patients with mastitis should avoid medications like tetracyclines, quinolones (e.g., levofloxacin), and metronidazole ^[3].

  2. Anti-estrogen drugs: Generally, mild cases of mammary hyperplasia do not require treatment, and regular ultrasound follow-ups are sufficient. For severe symptoms, tamoxifen may be used, which is usually effective. It can also serve as adjuvant therapy after breast cancer surgery, but the timing of medication and discontinuation should follow medical advice. Long-term use is not recommended due to potential adverse effects on the endometrium and ovaries, such as menstrual irregularities ^[3].

  3. Analgesics: Patients with mild breast pain may choose ibuprofen or aspirin for pain relief, though these may cause side effects like nausea, vomiting, or headaches. For moderate to severe pain, morphine or pethidine can be used under strict medical supervision, but these may lead to dizziness, nausea, vomiting, or respiratory depression ^[3].

  4. Chemotherapy drugs: For calcifications caused by malignant tumors, chemotherapy drugs such as epirubicin, cyclophosphamide, or paclitaxel may be used to delay tumor progression and improve long-term postoperative survival rates. However, side effects like hair loss, nausea, vomiting, or hematuria may occur ^[3].

• Surgical Treatment

  For breast calcifications caused by tumors, surgery is required. The doctor will select the appropriate surgical method based on tumor size, nature, and the patient's condition. Options include total mastectomy and breast-conserving surgery. For malignant tumors, total mastectomy has a lower recurrence rate but may affect aesthetics, while breast-conserving surgery preserves the breast but increases the risk of recurrence ^[3].

• Radiation Therapy

  For breast calcifications caused by malignant tumors, appropriate radiation therapy may be administered to control tumor growth and manage the condition ^[3].

DIAGNOSIS

Which departments typically handle breast calcifications?

Breast surgery, thyroid and breast surgery, general surgery.

What tests are used to diagnose breast calcifications?

Generally, doctors diagnose breast calcifications based on the patient's symptoms, combined with mammography and ultrasound examinations. However, some calcifications cannot be distinguished as benign or malignant, so pathological examination may also be required for further evaluation ^[4].

• Mammography (X-ray): This is the gold standard for diagnosing breast calcifications. It clearly displays the layers of breast tissue and differentiates between benign and malignant calcifications with high resolution ^[5].

• Ultrasound examination: Another common method for breast examination, it detects structural and morphological changes in breast tissue and observes blood flow signals. It is safe and radiation-free ^[1,5].

• Histopathological examination: For calcifications of uncertain nature, doctors may extract a small tissue sample for histopathological analysis to determine tumor characteristics and confirm the diagnosis ^[4].

POTENTIAL DISEASES

What causes breast calcification?

The etiology of calcifications is complex and may be related to the following factors:

• Tumor factors: including benign tumors (such as fibroadenomas) and malignant tumors (breast cancer), especially when tumor cells undergo necrosis, leading to the leakage of internal tissue fluid and subsequent deposition of calcium salts, forming calcifications ^[1];

• Mastitis: Inflammation causes cell damage, and calcium salts deposit during the healing process, forming calcifications ^[2];

• Others: Factors such as mammary hyperplasia, aging breast blood vessels, breast trauma or surgery, and breast cysts can also lead to the formation of calcifications ^[2].