A cluster of microcalcifications: women with high risk for breast cancer versus other women.
BACKGROUND
Abnormal screening mammographic findings are the most common presentation of ductal carcinoma in situ, which usually appears as a cluster of microcalcifications. No report has documented the risk of malignancy between the finding of a cluster of microcalcifications and women with high risk of breast cancer.


METHODS
We investigated the morphologic descriptors of a cluster of microcalcifications in women with a high risk for breast cancer and compared the results with the characteristics of a cluster of microcalcifications in other women. A retrospective review was performed for 81 non-palpable clusters of microcalcifications that had stereotactic vacuum-assisted breast biopsy.


RESULTS
The frequency of malignancy associated with a cluster of microcalcifications was 27%. The 50% frequency of malignancy with high risk for breast cancer was higher, but not significantly so, than the 24% frequency of 71 cases without high risk for breast cancer (P = 0.125). The frequency of malignancy and ADH of a cluster of microcalcifications with high risk of breast cancer was 70%, significantly higher than the 30% frequency of 71 cases without high risk of breast cancer (P = 0.028).


CONCLUSIONS
A cluster of microcalcifications in women with high risk for breast cancer should be considered suspicious and referred for biopsy.
Department of Breast Imaging and Breast Intervention, Breast Center, Shizuoka Cancer Center Hospital, Naga-izumi, Shizuoka 411-8777, Japan. t.uematsu@scchr.jp
Takayoshi
T
Uematsu
Masako
M
Kasami
Sachiko
S
Yuen
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001707:Biopsy, Needle; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology*; D002114:Calcinosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology*; D018270:Carcinoma, Ductal, Breast / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology*; D002285:Carcinoma, Intraductal, Noninfiltrating / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology*; D018275:Carcinoma, Lobular / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008327:Mammography; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D013238:Stereotaxic Techniques; D015996:Survival Rate; D014618:Vacuum