BIOLOGIC CHARACTERISTICS OF BREAST-CANCER DETECTED BY MAMMOGRAPHY ANDBY PALPATION IN A SCREENING-PROGRAM - A PILOT-STUDY

Citation
E. Tweedie et al., BIOLOGIC CHARACTERISTICS OF BREAST-CANCER DETECTED BY MAMMOGRAPHY ANDBY PALPATION IN A SCREENING-PROGRAM - A PILOT-STUDY, Clinical and investigative medicine, 20(5), 1997, pp. 300-307
Citations number
44
Categorie Soggetti
Medicine, Research & Experimental
ISSN journal
0147958X
Volume
20
Issue
5
Year of publication
1997
Pages
300 - 307
Database
ISI
SICI code
0147-958X(1997)20:5<300:BCOBDB>2.0.ZU;2-M
Abstract
Objective: To compare the histopathologic features and expression of p 53 and c-erb B2 in the tumours detected by mammography only (clinicall y occult tumours) and the tumours detected by a nurse examiner (clinic ally palpable tumours). Setting: London branch of the Ontario Breast S creening Program, which uses both clinical breast examination and mamm ography as screening methods. Interventions: Pathologic review and imm unohistochemical staining of all tumours detected between 1990 and 199 3. Outcome measures: Categorization of tumours by detection method and analysis of tumour size grade, type, lymph node status and c-erb B2 a nd p53 expression in each group. Results: From 1990 to 1993, 131 tumou rs were detected in patients ranging in age from 50 to 85 years (media n 63 years). Sixty-seven occult tumours and 64 palpable lesions were d etected. The occult tumours were significantly smaller (1.34 cm v. 2.2 9 cm, p < 0.0001) than the palpable ones and included a higher proport ion of special-type lesions and ductal carcinoma in situ (43.3% v. 10. 9%, p < 0.0001). Occult invasive carcinomas were of lower grade than p alpable carcinomas (68.4% grade 1, 21.1% grade 2, 10.5% grade 3 v. 32. 8% grade 1, 36.1% grade 2, 31.1% grade 3, p < 0.0001). Fewer occult le sions showed axillary nodal metastases (19.6% v. 40.6%, p = 0.02). No statistically significant differences were found for p53 or c-erb B2 p ositivity between the 2 groups. Conclusion: Tumours detected by differ ent screening methods in a screening program have different pathologic characteristics.