title: The Short-Term Effect of Weight Loss Surgery on Volumetric Breast Density and Fibroglandular Volume.
abstract: Obesity and breast density are both associated with an increased risk of breast cancer and are potentially modifiable. Weight loss surgery (WLS) causes a significant reduction in the amount of body fat and a decrease in breast cancer risk. The effect of WLS on breast density and its components has not been documented. Here, we analyze the impact of WLS on volumetric breast density (VBD) and on each of its components (fibroglandular volume and breast volume) by using three-dimensional methods.
  
  
  
  Fibroglandular volume, breast volume, and their ratio, the VBD, were calculated from mammograms before and after WLS by using Volpara™ automated software.
  
  
  
  For the 80 women included, average body mass index decreased from 46.0 ± 7.22 to 33.7 ± 7.06 kg/m2. Mammograms were performed on average 11.6 ± 9.4 months before and 10.1 ± 7 months after WLS. There was a significant reduction in average breast volume (39.4 % decrease) and average fibroglandular volume (15.5 % decrease), and thus, the average VBD increased from 5.15 to 7.87 % (p < 1 × 10-9) after WLS. When stratified by menopausal status and diabetic status, VBD increased significantly in all groups but only perimenopausal and postmenopausal women and non-diabetics experienced a significant reduction in fibroglandular volume.
  
  
  
  Breast volume and fibroglandular volume decreased, and VBD increased following WLS, with the most significant change observed in postmenopausal women and non-diabetics. Further studies are warranted to determine how physical and biological alterations in breast density components after WLS may impact breast cancer risk.
authors: Department of Surgery, Brody School of Medicine, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC, 27834, USA. vohran@ecu.edu.
authors: Nasreen A
authors: NA
authors: Vohra
authors: Department of Surgery, Brody School of Medicine, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC, 27834, USA.|Vidant Medical Center, Greenville, NC, 27834, USA.
authors: Swapnil D
authors: SD
authors: Kachare
authors: Department of Biostatistics, College of Allied Health Sciences, East Carolina University, Health Sciences Building, Greenville, NC, 27834, USA.
authors: Paul
authors: P
authors: Vos
authors: Carolina Breast Imaging Specialists, 990, Johns Hopkins Dr, Greenville, NC, 27834, USA.
authors: Bruce F
authors: BF
authors: Schroeder
authors: Department of Surgery, Brody School of Medicine, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC, 27834, USA.|Department of Surgery, Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine, Richmond, VA, USA.
authors: Olga
authors: O
authors: Schuth
authors: Department of Radiology and Medical Imaging, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, USA.
authors: Dylan
authors: D
authors: Suttle
authors: Department of Surgery, Brody School of Medicine, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC, 27834, USA.
authors: Timothy L
authors: TL
authors: Fitzgerald
authors: Department of Surgery, Brody School of Medicine, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC, 27834, USA.
authors: Jan H
authors: JH
authors: Wong
authors: Department of Surgery, Brody School of Medicine, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC, 27834, USA.
authors: Kathryn M
authors: KM
authors: Verbanac
mesh_terms: D000273:Adipose Tissue / Q000473:pathology; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D050110:Bariatric Surgery / Q000379:methods*; D001940:Breast / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology*; D000071060:Breast Density / Q000502:physiology*; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008327:Mammography; D008593:Menopause / Q000502:physiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D009767:Obesity, Morbid / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D015431:Weight Loss / Q000502:physiology*
keywords: Breast Volume; Breast cancer; Breast density; Diabetes; Fibroglandular volume; Obesity; Volumetric breast density; Weight loss surgery