Imaging of pregnancy-associated breast cancer.
OBJECTIVE
To assess the use of mammography in diagnosis of pregnancy-associated breast cancer (PABC).


METHODS
A retrospective review of medical records between 1973 and 1993 was performed in 85 women with breast cancer diagnosed during pregnancy or within 1 year after pregnancy. In 21 of these women, mammography was performed before biopsy; the mammographic findings in this study group, which had 23 cases of invasive carcinoma, were reviewed for signs of malignancy. Breast sonography was performed in six cases in five women; sonographic findings were also reviewed.


RESULTS
Mammographic findings were present in 18 of 23 cases (78%), including mass (n = 13) (nine cases with calcification), suspicious calcifications (n = 4), and diffusely increased parenchymal density (n = 1). Breast sonography revealed focal solid mass in six of six cases. Axillary lymph node metastases occurred in 15 of 23 cases (65%). Although symptoms occurred before or during pregnancy in 12 cases (52%), PABC was diagnosed after pregnancy in 19 cases (83%).


CONCLUSIONS
PABC is often advanced at diagnosis and associated with poor prognosis. Breast imaging studies usually demonstrate focal findings due to clinically evident PABC.
Liberman
L
L
Department of Radiology, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY 10021.
Giess
C S
CS
Dershaw
D D
DD
Deutch
B M
BM
Petrek
J A
JA
D000328:Adult; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008327:Mammography; D011247:Pregnancy; D011252:Pregnancy Complications, Neoplastic / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016217:Ultrasonography, Mammary