Breast calcification: the 'Cinderella' breast element?

It was shown that the chemical characteristics of calcifications associated with benign, in situ and invasive pathologies are significantly different. For the first time, a relationship between grade of pathological breast disease and chemical nature of associated microcalcifications has been demonstrated. In particular we have found significant correlations between distinct pathology grades and physiochemical features such as the carbonate content of microcalcifications and protein to mineral ratios. Further, such correlations were also demonstrated within carcinoma in situ and invasive cancer subgrades. Quantification of the calcification carbonate content indicated that the degree of carbonate substitution followed a monotonic trend between benign, ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) and invasive pathologies (see Figure 1). This suggests that benign tissue calcification (consisting of fibroadenoma, ductal hyperplasia and fibrocystic change) is likely to lead to a DCIS, which in turn will result in invasive disease.