Comparison Of Mammography Between Triple Negative And Non-triple Negative Breast Cancer

Objective To comparative analyse the mammographic findings between "triple negative" breast cancer (that is estrogen receptor [ER] negative, progesterone receptor [PR] negative, and human epidermal growth factor receptor2[HER2] negative, TNBC) and non-triple negative breast cancer, and evaluate the relationships of immunohistochemologic receptor status and mammographic findings.Materials and Methods We identified1102women who had been diagnosed with primary breast cancer between January2009and December2011at a signal hospital and who had undergone mammography at initial diagnosis. There are174cases of TNBC,97cases of ER+/PR+/HER2+,65cases of ER+/PR-/HER2-,183cases of ER-/PR-/HER2+and583cases of ER+/PR+/HER2-breast cancer. All of the lesions were confirmed by histological examinations. We retrospectively evaluated the visibility, morphology, distribution and size of the lesion (masses and calcifications) and breast density on mammography of TNBC, and to compare with those of non-TNBCs. We also reviewed the age and pathologic type of TNBC and non-TNBCs.Results①The mean age of TNBC and non-TNBCs was siganificantly different (F=3.877, P<0.05), and the mean age of TNBC (51.9+9.2[32-87]) was older than that of ER+/PR+/HER2+(48.3±8.9[26-68])(P=0.007).②nfiltrating ductal carcinoma was the main pathologic type of all groups, and basal-like breast cancer accounted for47.7%(83/174) of TNBC while only1or no case in non-TNBC groups.③TNBC were more frequently associated with merely a mass (95/150[63.3%]), round or oval with indistinct margin than non-TNBCs (χ2=81.467, P<0.01), and the mean diameter of the mass of TNBC (23.93±11.59mm) was larger than those of non-TNBCs (F=4.619, P=0.001). TNBC were less frequently associated with microcalcifications (9/150[6.0%]) than non-TNBCs χ2=31.997, P<0.01).④Mammographic density was significantly different with that of ER+/PR+/HER2-breast cancer χ2=9.381,P=0.025)Conclusion The mammographic features of TNBC that lesions show merely a mass, round or oval with indistinct margins, lager in size and less associated with microcalcifications might be useful in diagnosing triple negative breast cancer. The mean age of TNBC is52years old, and the main histopathologic finding is infiltrating ductal carcinoma with a high proportion of basal like breast cancer.