title: Radial scars and subsequent breast cancer risk: a meta-analysis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The relationship between radial scars and breast cancer is unclear, as the results of different studies are inconsistent. We aim to solve the controversy and assess the breast cancer risk of radial scars.
  
  
  METHODS
  Case-control or cohort studies about radial scars and breast cancer risk published in PubMed, Web of Science and the Cochrane Library from 2000 to 2013 were searched. Heterogeneity for the eligible data was assessed and a pooled odds ratio (OR) with 95% confidence interval (CI) was calculated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Five observational studies involving 2521 cases and 20290 controls were included in our study. From pooled analysis, radial scars were found to have a 1.33 fold increased risk of breast cancer, but which was not significant (P = 0.138). Sample size contributed to heterogeneity. In subgroup analysis, the results pooled from studies with sample size >2000 show that presence of radial scars was associated with 1.6 times breast cancer risk compared to absence of radial scars. Radial scars increased the risk of breast cancer among women with proliferative disease without atypia, but no significant association between radial scars and carcinoma was noted among women with atypical hyperplasia.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Radial scars tend to be associated with an increased breast cancer risk. Radial scars should be considered among women with proliferative disease without atypia, while atypical hyperplasia is still the primary concern among women with both radial scars and atypical hyperplasia.
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery, Nanjing Medical University Affiliated Cancer Hospital, Cancer Institute of Jiangsu Province, Nanjing, China; The First Clinical School of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China.
authors.forename: Mengmeng
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lv
authors.affiliation: The First Clinical School of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China; Gulou Clinical Medical College, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China.
authors.forename: Xingya
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.affiliation: Center of Clinical Laboratory, Nanjing Medical University Affiliated Cancer Hospital, Cancer Institute of Jiangsu Province, Nanjing, China.
authors.forename: Shanliang
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Zhong
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery, Nanjing Medical University Affiliated Cancer Hospital, Cancer Institute of Jiangsu Province, Nanjing, China.
authors.forename: Weixian
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery, Nanjing Medical University Affiliated Cancer Hospital, Cancer Institute of Jiangsu Province, Nanjing, China.
authors.forename: Qing
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.affiliation: Center of Clinical Laboratory, Nanjing Medical University Affiliated Cancer Hospital, Cancer Institute of Jiangsu Province, Nanjing, China.
authors.forename: Tengfei
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery, Nanjing Medical University Affiliated Cancer Hospital, Cancer Institute of Jiangsu Province, Nanjing, China.
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Center of Clinical Laboratory, Nanjing Medical University Affiliated Cancer Hospital, Cancer Institute of Jiangsu Province, Nanjing, China.
authors.forename: Xiaohui
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery, Nanjing Medical University Affiliated Cancer Hospital, Cancer Institute of Jiangsu Province, Nanjing, China.
authors.forename: Jinhai
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Tang
authors.affiliation: Center of Clinical Laboratory, Nanjing Medical University Affiliated Cancer Hospital, Cancer Institute of Jiangsu Province, Nanjing, China.
authors.forename: Jianhua
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhao
mesh_terms: D001941:Breast Diseases / Q000473:pathology*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*; D002277:Carcinoma / Q000473:pathology*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D015331:Cohort Studies; D016001:Confidence Intervals; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006965:Hyperplasia / Q000473:pathology; D064887:Observational Studies as Topic; D016017:Odds Ratio; D011230:Precancerous Conditions / Q000473:pathology*; D012307:Risk Factors; D012598:Sclerosis / Q000473:pathology