Mammographic features are associated with clinicopathological characteristics in invasive breast cancer

To assess the correlation between mammographic features and clinicopathologic characteristics of invasive breast carcinoma.

The mammographic appearance and clinicopathological data of 108 invasive ductal carcinomas were retrospective analyzed. The mammographic features were assessed according to BI-RADS by two doctors. Estrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PR), human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (Her2) and Ki-67 were analyzed on the surgically removed tumor samples by immunohistochemical staining analysis. The clinical information, including age, menopausal status, tumor size, grade, stage, and axillary lymph node status, were collected from our database. Statistical analysis was performed to assess the correlation between mammographic features and clinicopathologic characteristics.

Based on pathologic analysis, 19 out of the 108 (18%) patients had invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC) accompanied by component of ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS); another 89 cases (82%) were pure IDC. Sixty-three patients had a mass on the mammogram; the mammographically visible mass was frequently observed in histologically pure IDC, while mammographic calcification was significantly associated with IDC accompanied with DCIS (p<0.01). Mammographic calcification accompanied by evident mass was correlated with axillary lymph node metastasis (p<0.05). The tumor size was usually larger than 2 cm when the mammographic mass was accompanied by calcification (p<0.01). Tumors from patients presenting with spiculated mass had a significantly higher ER-positive and PR-positive rates than those from patients presenting with non-spiculated mass (92.59% vs. 63.89%, p<0.01, and 92.59% vs. 44.44%, p<0.01, respectively). Tumors from patients presenting with spiculated mass had Her2 negativity (p<0.05) and lower proliferative activity as labeled by Ki-67 compared with those from patients presenting with non-spiculated mass (p<0.01).

Based on our current findings, the mammographic appearance reflects the biologic behavior of the breast tumor and should be taken into account when planning treatment for IDC.