Abstract
BackgroundThe purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between breast density, age, and mammographic lesion type among Chinese breast cancer patients included in a large clinical dataset.MethodsA review of mammographic images acquired between July 2014 and June 2017 from a total of 9716 retrospectively registered breast cancer patients was conducted. Mammographic breast density was defined according to the American College of Radiology Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System (ACR BI-RADS) 4-class density rating. Mammographic lesion types were defined according to the ACR BI-RADS, including mass, mass with calcifications, calcifications, architectural distortion/asymmetries, and architectural distortion/asymmetries with calcifications. Three experienced breast radiologists interpreted all mammograms. The chi-square (χ2) test and Pearson correlation analyses were performed to assess the relationship between breast density, age, and mammographic lesion type.ResultsA significant inverse relationship was observed between the BI-RADS breast density rating given by radiologists and patient age (r = − 0.521, p < 0.01). The breast density distribution in breast cancer patients from China reversed at the age of 55 years, and exhibited one age peak in the age 55–59 year group. The percentage of lesions with calcifications decreased with increasing age (p < 0.01), and increased with increasing breast density (p < 0.01).ConclusionsIn general, we identified a relationship between patient breast density, age, and mammographic lesion type. This finding may provide a basis for clinical diagnoses and support development of breast cancer screening programs in China.
Highlights
The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between breast density, age, and mammographic lesion type among Chinese breast cancer patients included in a large clinical dataset
Increasing age was associated with decreasing breast density (r = − 0.521, p < 0.01), with a frequency of heterogeneously or extremely dense breast tissue of 84.62%, 85.32%, 81.68%, 82.21%, 81.14%, 77.08%, 62.29%, 42.97%, 30.17%, 22.12%, 17.09%, 11.18%, 6.59%, 14.29%, and 0.00% in the age groups of 19–24, 25–29, 30–34, 35–39, 40–44, 45–49, 50–54, 55–59, 60–64, 65–69, 70–74, 75–79, 80–84, 85–89, and 90–94 years, respectively
We observed that more women were diagnosed with breast cancer in the 55–59 year age group (Fig. 2)
Summary
The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between breast density, age, and mammographic lesion type among Chinese breast cancer patients included in a large clinical dataset. Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women worldwide [1]. Advances in mammography have facilitated effective clinical diagnoses and screening programs. In 1976, Wolfe initially proposed a relationship between mammographic parenchymal patterns and the risk of. Many investigators have attempted to identify why some cancers are missed by mammography. Lehman et al [5] reported that breast density might be a predictor of mammographic performance. Bird et al [6] found a greater percentage of missed cancers in dense breasts. Dense breasts were cited as a factor for missed
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