Correlation Between Mammograghic Findings and Clinical/Pathologic Features in Women with Small Invasive Breast Carcinomas

Background: To study the relationship between mammographic findings and clinical/pathologic features inwomen with 1-15mm sized invasive breast cancer. Materials and
Methods: We investigated a consecutive seriesof 134 cases diagnosed in Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital in 2007. Mammographicfindings were classified into five groups as follows :1) stellate mass without calcification; 2) non-stellate masswithout calcification; 3) intermediate suspicious calcification with or without associated mass; 4) higher probabilitymalignant calcification with or without associated mass; 5) focal asymmetry/distortion without associatedcalcification. Associations between mammographic and clinical/pathological features (menopause status/familyhistory/histologic grade/lymph node status and ER/PR/HER2 status) was analyzed through logistic regressionand chi square tests.
Results: Compared to the stellate mass without calcification group, higher probabilitymalignant calcification patients were associated significantly with a positive lymph node status, always presentingin patients who were non-menopausal and with a family history of carcinoma.
Conclusions: Higher probabilitymalignant calcifications with or without associated tumor masses are associated with clinical/pathologic featuresof poor prognosis.