A. Langercherbit et al., BREAST-CANCER - ZONES OF INCREASED DENSITY MAMMOGRAPHIC FEATURES, CORRELATED TO CLINICAL TNM AND PROGNOSIS, European journal of radiology, 24(1), 1997, pp. 48-53
From January 1981 to December 1995, 8421 patients having a mammographi
c opacity corresponding to breast cancer were examined. The opacities
were divided into two groups: zones of increased density (ZID), (1449
patients), and a reference group comprising all other types of opaciti
es (6972 patients). Mammograms were reviewed retrospectively, as well
as clinical, histological and biological parameters in both groups. Di
agnosis of ZID was often difficult, sometime's guided by the presence
of microcalcifications. which were more frequent. Sonogrpahy and direc
t mammographic magnification proved to be particularly helpful for a c
ollect diagnosis. Most prognostic factors were poorer in ZID as compar
ed to the reference group. The 5 year survival rate was 78% (84% for t
he reference group). Breast cancer that appears on mammograms as a ZID
is often more difficult to diagnose and factors of poor prognosis are
more often observed than in breast cancer with other types of opaciti
es. To improve their detection sonography and direct mammographic magn
ification call be very helpful. Copyright (C) 1997 Elsevier Science Ir
eland Ltd.