Breast ultrasound in 22,131 asymptomatic women with negative mammography

Abstract

PurposeTo evaluate increment cancer detection rate generated by ultrasound (US). Materials and methodsUS only detected cancers were assessed for 22,131 self-referring asymptomatic women with negative mammography and subgroups by age, previous cancer, breast density. Invasive assessment and surgical biopsy rate were evaluated. ResultsThe overall US detection was 1.85 per thousand (41/22,131). In the subgroups it was: 1.95 per thousand (22/11,274) in women <50 years vs 1.75 per thousand (19/10,857) in women ≥50 years (p = 0.42), 5.49 per thousand (12/2183) in women with previous cancer vs 1.45 per thousand (29/19,948) in women without cancer history (p = 0.0004), 2.21 per thousand (22/9960) in dense breasts (p = 0.17) vs 1.56 per thousand (19/12,171) in fatty breasts. The US generated invasive assessment was 1.9% (422/22,131). The benign to malignant open surgical biopsy ratio was 0.17 (7/41). ConclusionAdding US to negative mammography allowed for substantial incremental cancer detection rate (1.85 per thousand), particularly at age <50years, in women with previous breast cancer and in dense breasts.