What are foci of calcification in the breast? Foci of calcification are calcium deposits in the breast detected by x-ray. Calcified foci in the breast can vary in size: coarse calcified foci are often benign lesions in the breast, such as aging, old damage to the arteries in the breast, and inflammation, and usually do not require further biopsy. Small foci of calcification are usually located in areas of rapid cell growth and division. If multiple fine calcified dots are localized in clusters, it suggests the possible presence of small breast cancer lesions. Half of the breast cancers detected by X-ray show clusters of small calcified foci in the breast. How to manage small calcifications in the breast? Some types of small calcified lesions on X-ray may be diagnosed as benign and do not require biopsy, and the doctor will often recommend a follow-up mammogram 3-6 months later. Some small calcified foci are difficult to identify as benign or malignant on X-ray, so further biopsy is needed to clarify the diagnosis. Why do I need a biopsy if I can’t feel the lump on physical examination? Breast cancer is not necessarily palpable. Once it becomes a lump, it may have already progressed, so biopsy is needed for lesions with suspicious x-ray, such as some small calcified foci. Biopsy helps to detect breast cancer in its early stages and greatly increases the likelihood that the patient will be cured. Generally speaking, breast cancer detected by abnormal X-ray is usually small in size, and if there are no axillary lymph nodes or distant metastases, the 5-year survival rate of patients is over 90%; meanwhile, these patients are also the most ideal candidates for breast-conserving surgery (local excision plus post-operative radiotherapy). How do I biopsy a breast lesion that cannot be felt as a lump? Mammograms may reveal small, undetectable lesions. In this case, a procedure called “localization” will assist the physician in finding the lesion and removing it during the biopsy. The “localization” procedure is usually performed by puncturing a fine needle into the breast tissue under x-ray guidance, with the tip of the needle pointing to the site of the calcified lesion. Currently, there are two types of localization biopsies: percutaneous puncture biopsy and surgical biopsy. The biopsy specimen is immediately sent to the pathology department for testing and the results are usually available within a week.