Not all nonpalpable breast cancers are alike
D. Franceschi, J. P. Crowe, S. Lie, R. Duchesneau, R. Zollinger, R. Shenk, G. Stefanek and J. M. Shuck
University Hospitals of Cleveland, OH 44106.
Clinical and mammographic data of 1009 consecutive patients were correlated
with histopathologic data of 1144 biopsy specimens of nonpalpable breast
lesions to better define the presentation and biologic behavior of early
breast cancer. Patients with malignant neoplasms (269 [24%] of 1144
specimens) were older (mean age, 62.1 years) than patients with benign
lesions (mean age, 54.9 years). Furthermore, patients with invasive disease
were older (mean age, 63.3 years) than patients with noninvasive disease
(mean age, 58.5 years) with an overall increased risk of invasive cancer
per year of 1.035. A 58% incidence of invasive cancer was detected for
lesions characterized by calcifications, while the incidence of invasive
cancer was 84% for isolated mass lesions (relative risk, 4.31 for masses).
Isolated mammographic calcifications associated with cancer appeared in a
younger population and were significantly associated with noninvasive
ductal cancer. Breast cancer presenting as a mammographic mass appeared in
an older group and was highly associated with the presence of invasive
disease.
