Are microcalcifications of the breast something to be worry about?

Q: What does it mean to have microcalcifications of the breast? I have had a mammogram and need to return due to microcalcifications. Are these something I need to be worried about? I have a huge history of breast cancer in my family, including my mom and sister both passing of breast cancer.

A: Microcalcifications are tiny specks of the mineral calcium—as small as a grain of salt—that are sometimes seen in breast tissue when viewed on a mammogram (screening breast x-ray). These mineral specks may be individual or they may form clusters.

Most microcalcifications are noncancerous cells. In some cases, they may be indicators of a highly curable, early-stage breast cancer known as ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS). If a mammogram determines that some microcalcifications may be questionable, a biopsy will determine if they are normal or not.

--Bernice Crook, RN, OCN

Many cancers can be identified early, when they are most treatable, through sophisticated screening tests.