Imaging Characteristics of Breast Cancer in Women Aged 80 Years and Older: A Single-Center Experience

Breast cancer in very elderly women presents unique clinical and imaging characteristics, and data regarding this age group remain limited. This study aimed to evaluate the imaging characteristics of breast cancer in patients aged 80 years and older together with clinical and pathological findings.

A retrospective analysis was performed on 23 patients aged 80 years and older diagnosed with breast cancer at a single institution between January 2021 and January 2026. Clinical presentation, tumor size, histological grade, metastasis status, and imaging findings, including mammographic features and Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System (BI-RADS) categories, were evaluated. Associations between clinical presentation and tumor characteristics were statistically analyzed.

Of the patients, 30.4% were diagnosed during screening and 69.6% following diagnostic presentation. Tumor size was significantly larger in the diagnostic group than in the screening group (median: 24.5 mm vs. 14.5 mm; P < .001). Distant metastasis occurred only in diagnostically presenting patients (31.3%), while lymph node metastasis rates were similar between groups (P > .05). Grade 2 tumors were the most common (39.1%). The most frequent mammographic findings were masses with or without calcifications, most commonly irregular in shape, with spiculated margins and high density. BI-RADS 5 was the most frequent category (60.9%).

Breast cancer imaging features in women aged 80 years and older resemble those of the general population. Smaller tumor sizes and absence of distant metastasis in screen-detected cases suggest that screening may still support earlier detection in selected very elderly women. Cite this article as: Seyfettin A, Gültekin S, Kantarcı M. Imaging characteristics of breast cancer in women aged 80 years and older: A single-center experience. Eurasian J Med. 2026, 58(4), 1379, doi: 10.5152/ eurasianjmed.2026.261379.