Correlation between mammograghic findings and clinical/pathologic features in women with small invasive breast carcinomas

Abstract

Background: To study the relationship between mammographic findings and clinical/pathologic features in women with 1-15mm sized invasive breast cancer. Materials and Methods: We investigated a consecutive series of 134 cases diagnosed in Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital in 2007. Mammographic findings were classified into five groups as follows :1) stellate mass without calcification; 2) non-stellate mass without calcification; 3) intermediate suspicious calcification with or without associated mass; 4) higher probability malignant calcification with or without associated mass; 5) focal asymmetry/distortion without associated calcification. Associations between mammographic and clinical/pathological features (menopause status/family history/histologic grade/lymph node status and ER/PR/HER2 status) was analyzed through logistic regression and chi square tests. Results: Compared to the stellate mass without calcification group, higher probability malignant calcification patients were associated significantly with a positive lymph node status, always presenting in patients who were non-menopausal and with a family history of carcinoma. Conclusions: Higher probability malignant calcifications with or without associated tumor masses are associated with clinical/pathologic features of poor prognosis.