Screening Mammography Findings in Women With Chronic Kidney Disease on a Renal Transplant Waiting List

The incidence of breast cancer has been reported to be increased in people with chronic kidney disease (CKD). Thus, breast cancer screening is stated to be mandatory. However, it is as yet unclear what age group or what type of breast structure indicate a need for mammography. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of age and breast parenchymal density on mammography findings. The rate of detection of calcification from mammographies increased in dialysis patients with CKD. The associations of calcifications with comorbid pathologies were also evaluated.

Patients were divided into the two age groups of 40 to 49.9 years and ≥ 50 years. The patients were asked about smoking habits, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, the pathology that caused CKD, state of hemodialysis, and, if relevant, the type and duration of dialysis.

The mean age of the 55 patients included in this study was 54.8 years, and 78.2% (n = 43) were ≥ 50 years old. The rate of malignancy across the entire group was 3.6%. No association was found between breast arterial calcification and cigarette smoking, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, state of dialysis, duration of dialysis, and breast parenchymal density in any age group.

A pretransplantation evaluation of CKD patients may include a breast screening program for patients aged 40 to 49.9 and for the patients aged ≥ 50. Breast parenchymal density was demonstrated to have no effect on the findings, and no association was found between calcifications and comorbid pathologies.