Patients experiencing calcifications should consult with their doctor before considering breast implants.
Breast calcifications are microscopic calcium deposits that occur within the breast tissue. Most women cannot feel or see them with the naked eye. There are two types of calcifications, one which is typically benign, and one that could be indicative of cancer. Although implants are considered safe for women with calcifications, they should be aware that implants can make mammograms difficult to read correctly.
Calcifications
Calcifications are calcium build-ups that form clumps or tumors within the breast tissue. They appear on mammograms, usually as white masses. About 80 percent of calcifications are benign, meaning they are not cancerous, and generally do not require a biopsy. Your doctor can determine your best course of action if a calcification appears on a mammogram. Breast calcifications are categorized into two classes: macrocalcifications and microcalcifications.
Macrocalcifications
Macrocalcifications are generally a result of a prior injury or trauma to the breast, including inflammation and swelling, or aging of the arteries inside the breast tissue. They are usually benign tumors. Approximately 50 percent of women in the U.S. age 50 and over experience macrocalcifications in their breasts, and 10 percent of women under age 50 do.
Microcalcifications
Microcalcifications are not the result of previous trauma or injury to the breast; they usually occur in cells that are changing at a quick pace. As cells divide, they sometimes leave behind a residue, which appears on mammograms as microcalcifications. They could be indicative cancer if they are irregularly-shaped. They should be examined by your doctor immediately.
Breast Implants and Calcifications
Technically, getting breast augmentation is considered safe even if you have breast calcifications. However, both silicone gel and saline implants can make mammograms more difficult to read. The implant obstructs a full view of the breast tissue, which can make it difficult for doctors and specialists to accurately read a mammogram. Patients considering breast augmentation should be aware that this may delay the detection of cancer in some cases. A University of Maryland study in the Department of Radiology reported that approximately 28 percent of cancers would not be visible on a mammogram in women with breast implants.
If you are considering having your breasts enlarged, you should review your family history and see if any women experienced cancerous calcifications.
Capsular Calcifications
Breast implants also may cause capsular calcifications, which are calcium build-ups that occur on or around breast implants. An October 1998 article published in "The Annals of Plastic Surgery" titled "Capsular Calcification Associated with Silicone Breast Implants: Incidence, Determinants, and Characterization" stated that during a clinical study conducted from 1981 to 1996, 64 of 404 patients with silicone gel breast implants developed capsular calcifications. Of those 64 capsular calcifications, 62 appeared as white-gray plaques on a mammogram.
These types of calcifications are typically non-cancerous, but patients should be aware that implants may cause them to develop within the breast tissue.
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