Predicting Molecular Subtypes of Breast Cancer with Mammography and Ultrasound Findings: Introduction of Sono-Mammometry Score.

Sana Shaikh,Afshan Rasheed,Daniele La Forgia

doi:10.1155/2021/6691958

Abstract

We studied the correlation of sonographic and digital mammographic features with molecular classification of breast cancer. Imaging features from 313 patients with preliminary ultrasound and digital mammogram between November 2017 and May 2020 were compared with histopathology and immunohistochemical analysis for the prediction of molecular classification of breast cancer. We also devised a score called “sono-mammometry” score consisting of few simple imaging features which can easily be performed in outpatient settings. We studied that non-triple-negative breast cancers are predominantly hypoechoic and strongly correlate with the presence of irregular spiculated margins along with peripheral echogenic halo, posterior shadowing, and microcalcifications, while there is considerable variation in imaging features of TNBC as some of its imaging features overlap with those of typical benign tumors. Although imaging characteristics are helpful in the prediction of molecular classification, the prognostication value of these imaging features is still weak. There is considerable variation in imaging features which warrants vigilance towards improved diagnostic performance. To help better understand these features, our sono-mammometry score can serve as straightforward test which is assumed to be functional and productive in resource-limited settings.

Highlights

Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women and is the second most common cause of death from cancer in women worldwide [1]
Histopathological characterization is the gold standard for classifying molecular subtypes of breast cancer after percutaneous breast mass biopsy, the trend is moving towards the development of noninvasive diagnostic procedures that can aid in easy and quick interpretation of the disease process [6]. is highlights the importance for a radiologist to have sound knowledge of these molecular subtypes of breast cancer to improve the analysis of imaging findings. e assessment of molecular subtypes of breast cancer on imaging perhaps displays intricacies as it requires the combination of imaging features on both ultrasound and mammography
We studied the correlation of sonographic and digital mammographic features with molecular classification of breast cancer and devised a score called sono-mammometry score to anticipate the presence of non-triple-negative breast cancers (TNBC) tumors

Summary

Introduction

Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women and is the second most common cause of death from cancer in women worldwide [1]. It is a diverse group of diseases which consists of a wide range of molecular and genetic subtypes [2, 3]. During the last two decades, regrouping of breast cancer classification has been undertaken, from histopathologic subtype to the molecular categorization established by gene expression [1,2,3,4]. Our hypothesis is that different sonographic and mammographic features can predict molecular classification on histopathology

Methods

Results

Discussion

Conclusion