Breast parenchymal patterns in women with bilateral primary breast cancer

Mammograms were obtained from 44 women aged over 30 years with bilateral primary breast cancer, 60 women with unilateral breast cancer, matched for age and menopausal status with the bilateral cases, and 937 normal women, again all aged over 30 years. The mammograms were classified according to Wolfe's criteria. Both groups of cancer patients were found to have a significantly (p < 0.05) greater proportion of pre-menopausal women with the DY type of breast parenchymal pattern compared with the normal pre-menopausal women. No association was found between the P2 mammographic pattern and breast cancer. The study failed to show any difference in the distribution of mammographic risk categories in women with bilateral disease and those with unilateral cancers only. Wolfe (1976; 1977) suggested that the mammographic appearances of normal breast tissue might be different in women who developed breast cancer compared with unaffected women. He classified mammograms into one of four categories (Nl5 Pl5 P2 and DY) according to the prominence of the ducts and the radiographic appearance of breast parenchyma, and claimed that this grouping could be used to identify individuals at different risks of developing the disease. The Nj and Px groups were considered to be at low risk and the P2 and DY groups were considered to be at high risk for breast