My understanding of calcifications in the breast is that they can be a
forerunner of breast cancer.  If they appear with clean edges they are okay,
but all too often the edges of these calcifications begin to star out which
is indicative of cancer.  Our technology isn't quite as good as the doctors
could use just yet to rule out the threat with just a mammogram.

I recently had a mother come to me after delivering her second baby.  She
had a cancerous lump removed from the left breast 7 years ago, with chemo
and radiation therapy.  She had a lump removed in the right breast just 2
years ago.  The Oncologist was not comfortable with her breastfeeding.  As I
researched more, reviewed her chart, talked with the oncologist and a breast
cancer educator I learned that the right breast is full of calcifications.
With her history and the lumps being removed from the right breast it was
far too risky to breastfeed.  The hormonal interplay is not understood by
anyone.  Since I couldn't get hold of anyone with enough knowledge or
experience to support her in her desire to breastfeed I had to stand behind
the oncologist.

The way I left it with her she was going to breastfeed for a couple weeks to
give baby some early immunity then go to the bottle.  Sad because she was
producing a full supply from her one breast and really wanted to breastfeed
(she had breastfed her first child 12 years earlier).  I couldn't find any
evidence that she had been counceled as to the danger of the hormonal
interplay during subsequent pregnancies.  The hormone the oncologist was
most worried about was prolactin.  I found nothing that supported his
concerns except that there are some cancers that seem to thrive when certain
hormones levels are high.

Wish we knew more.

Denise Parker