Thermography. Its relation to pathologic characteristics, vascularity, proliferation rate, and survival of patients with invasive ductal carcinoma of the breast.
BACKGROUND
The reason for the thermal abnormality associated with some breast cancers is unclear. We previously reported that a thermographic abnormality is associated with tumor size and lymph node involvement. Despite this association, we were unable to demonstrate an independent association between an abnormal thermogram and survival.


METHODS
To expand our previous findings, we assessed patients undergoing liquid crystal (contact) thermography (LCT) to identify a basis for the thermal abnormality and its relationship to survival. We assessed 420 women with invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC) followed for a mean of 6.2 years. In a consecutive series of 181 patients from the overall group, vascularity was assessed using a Doppler ultrasound (US) and microvessel density (MVD) by immunohistochemical staining with Factor VIII-related antigen. The tumor proliferation rate was measured immunohistochemically using Ki-67 monoclonal antibody.


RESULTS
An abnormal thermogram was found in 18.6% of patients with IDC. A significant association was demonstrated between an abnormal LCT and age, stage, lymph nodal status, size, grade, and estrogen receptor status. We found no association between a LCT abnormality and MVD or proliferation rate. There was a significant relationship with US-demonstrated vascularity. In multivariate analysis, we found that LCT abnormality was not an independent prognostic variable for either overall or disease free survival.


CONCLUSIONS
An abnormal thermogram is associated with large tumor size, high grade, and lymph node positivity but not proliferation rate or MVD. It also may be associated with relatively large regional vessels that can be identified by US. However, thermography is not an independent prognostic indicator.
Sterns
E E
EE
Department of Surgery, Queens University, Kingston General Hospital, Ontario, Canada.
Zee
B
B
SenGupta
S
S
Saunders
F W
FW
D000367:Age Factors; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology*; D018270:Carcinoma, Ductal, Breast / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000401:mortality* / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011379:Prognosis; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen / Q000032:analysis; D016019:Survival Analysis; D013817:Thermography
D011960:Receptors, Estrogen