Correlations between the Mammographic Features of Triple-Negative and Triple-Positive Breast Cancer

Purpose : To comparative analyze the mammographic i¬ndings and clinical characteristics of triple negative breast cancer (estrogen receptor [ER] negative, progesterone receptor [PR] negative, and human epidermal growth factor receptor2 [HER2] negative) and triple positive breast cancer (ER positive, PR positive, and HER2 positive). Materials and Methods : The immunohistochemistry results of 174 cases of TNBC and 97 cases of TPBC were reviewed. All of the patients had undergone mammography. Retrospectively evaluate the visibility, morphology, distribution and size of the lesions (masses and calcifications) and breast density on mammography of TNBC, and to compare with those of TPBC. The age onset and pathologic type were also reviewed. Results : TNBC more frequently presented as merely a mass (95/150[63.3%]) than TPBC (34/88 [38.6%]) (P<0.01). TNBC were less frequently associated with microcalcifications (33/150[22%]) than were TPBC (39/88 [44.3%]) (P<0.01). Mammographic density and lesion visibility were similar between the two immunophenotypes. The mean age of TNBC (52[32~87]) was older than that of TPBC (48[26~68]) (P=0.002). Infiltrating ductal carcinoma was the main pathologic type of both groups. Basal-like breast cancer accounted for 47.7% (83/174) of TNBC but didn’t express in TPBC (0/97). Conclusion : The mammographic features of TNBC that lesions showed merely a mass with obscured margins, and less associated with microcalcifications might be useful to diagnose triple negative breast cancer.