New Insights in Mammographic Density in Breast Cancer Risk, Screening and Detection

A special issue of Cancers (ISSN 2072-6694). This special issue belongs to the section "Cancer Causes, Screening and Diagnosis".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 28 February 2025 | Viewed by 4595

Special Issue Editor


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Guest Editor
1. Discipline of Surgical Specialties, Adelaide Medical School, University of Adelaide, The Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Woodville South, SA 5011, Australia
2. Robinson Research Institute, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA 5006, Australia
Interests: breast cancer; breast development; mammary gland biology; mammographic density; lactation; menstrual cycle; predictive biomarkers; mastitis; breast cancer imaging
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Breast cancer is a significant health concern in many countries. Therefore, there is a dire need to develop advanced approaches to facilitate its prevention and early detection, thereby improving health outcomes. There is growing awareness of the significance of mammographic density as an independent breast cancer risk factor, which also affects mammographic screening and cancer detection. Together with consumer-led initiatives, multi-disciplinary advancements in mammographic density research are shaping future breast cancer risk reduction strategies as well as screening and detection technologies. This Special Issue invites submissions of papers that provide new insights into mammographic density incorporating biology, epidemiology, clinical medicine, consumer perspective, artificial intelligence, bioengineering, and advanced animal models.

Dr. Wendy Ingman
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

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Keywords

  • breast cancer
  • mammographic density
  • breast cancer risk
  • breast cancer screening
  • mammography
  • risk reduction
  • consumer-led research
  • multi-disciplinary research

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Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

16 pages, 815 KiB  
Article
The Prospective Association between Early Life Growth and Breast Density in Young Adult Women
by Rachel Lloyd, Sarah Pirikahu, Jane Walter, Gemma Cadby, Nicole Warrington, Dilukshi Perera, Martha Hickey, Christobel Saunders, Michael Hackmann, David D. Sampson, John Shepherd, Lothar Lilge and Jennifer Stone
Cancers 2024, 16(13), 2418; https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers16132418 - 30 Jun 2024
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Abstract
Breast density is a strong intermediate endpoint to investigate the association between early-life exposures and breast cancer risk. This study investigates the association between early-life growth and breast density in young adult women measured using Optical Breast Spectroscopy (OBS) and Dual X-ray Absorptiometry [...] Read more.
Breast density is a strong intermediate endpoint to investigate the association between early-life exposures and breast cancer risk. This study investigates the association between early-life growth and breast density in young adult women measured using Optical Breast Spectroscopy (OBS) and Dual X-ray Absorptiometry (DXA). OBS measurements were obtained for 536 female Raine Cohort Study participants at ages 27–28, with 268 completing DXA measurements. Participants with three or more height and weight measurements from ages 8 to 22 were used to generate linear growth curves for height, weight and body mass index (BMI) using SITAR modelling. Three growth parameters (size, velocity and timing) were examined for association with breast density measures, adjusting for potential confounders. Women who reached their peak height rapidly (velocity) and later in adolescence (timing) had lower OBS-breast density. Overall, women who were taller (size) had higher OBS-breast density. For weight, women who grew quickly (velocity) and later in adolescence (timing) had higher absolute DXA-breast density. Overall, weight (size) was also inversely associated with absolute DXA-breast density, as was BMI. These findings provide new evidence that adolescent growth is associated with breast density measures in young adult women, suggesting potential mediation pathways for breast cancer risk in later life. Full article
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11 pages, 258 KiB  
Article
Factors Associated with Increased Knowledge about Breast Density in South Australian Women Undergoing Breast Cancer Screening
by Avisak Bhattacharjee, David Walsh, Pallave Dasari, Leigh J. Hodson, Suzanne Edwards, Sarah J. White, Deborah Turnbull and Wendy V. Ingman
Cancers 2024, 16(5), 893; https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers16050893 - 23 Feb 2024
Viewed by 1598
Abstract
Background: There is growing awareness of breast density in women attending breast cancer screening; however, it is unclear whether this awareness is associated with increased knowledge. This study aims to evaluate breast density knowledge among Australian women attending breast cancer screening. Method: This [...] Read more.
Background: There is growing awareness of breast density in women attending breast cancer screening; however, it is unclear whether this awareness is associated with increased knowledge. This study aims to evaluate breast density knowledge among Australian women attending breast cancer screening. Method: This cross-sectional study was conducted on women undergoing breast cancer screening at The Queen Elizabeth Hospital Breast/Endocrine outpatient department. Participants were provided with a questionnaire to assess knowledge, awareness, and desire to know their own breast density. Result: Of the 350 women who participated, 61% were familiar with ‘breast density’ and 57% had ‘some knowledge’. Prior breast density notification (OR = 4.99, 95% CI = 2.76, 9.03; p = 0.004), awareness (OR = 4.05, 95% CI = 2.57, 6.39; p = 0.004), younger age (OR = 0.97, 95% CI = 0.96, 0.99; p = 0.02), and English as the language spoken at home (OR = 3.29, 95% CI = 1.23, 8.77; p = 0.02) were independent predictors of ‘some knowledge’ of breast density. A significant proportion of participants (82%) expressed desire to ascertain their individual breast density. Conclusions: While knowledge of breast density in this Australian cohort is generally quite low, we have identified factors associated with increased knowledge. Further research is required to determine optimal interventions to increase breast density knowledge. Full article
13 pages, 2202 KiB  
Article
Suspicious Ultrasound-Occult Non-Calcified Mammographic Masses, Asymmetries, and Architectural Distortions Are Moderate Probability for Malignancy
by Ethan O. Cohen, Rachel E. Perry, Ravinder S. Legha, Hilda H. Tso, Kyungmin Shin, Megan E. Speer, Kanchan A. Phalak, Jia Sun and Jessica W. T. Leung
Cancers 2024, 16(3), 655; https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers16030655 - 3 Feb 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1226
Abstract
Suspicious non-calcified mammographic findings have not been evaluated with modern mammographic technique, and the purpose of this work is to compare the likelihood of malignancy for those findings. To do this, 5018 consecutive mammographically guided biopsies performed during 2016–2019 at a large metropolitan, [...] Read more.
Suspicious non-calcified mammographic findings have not been evaluated with modern mammographic technique, and the purpose of this work is to compare the likelihood of malignancy for those findings. To do this, 5018 consecutive mammographically guided biopsies performed during 2016–2019 at a large metropolitan, community-based hospital system were retrospectively reviewed. In total, 4396 were excluded for targeting calcifications, insufficient follow-up, or missing data. Thirty-seven of 126 masses (29.4%) were malignant, 44 of 194 asymmetries (22.7%) were malignant, and 77 of 302 architectural distortions (AD, 25.5%) were malignant. The combined likelihood of malignancy was 25.4%. Older age was associated with a higher likelihood of malignancy for each imaging finding type (all p ≤ 0.006), and a possible ultrasound correlation was associated with a higher likelihood of malignancy when all findings were considered together (p = 0.012). Two-view asymmetries were more frequently malignant than one-view asymmetries (p = 0.03). There were two false-negative biopsies (98.7% sensitivity and 100% specificity). In conclusion, the 25.4% likelihood of malignancy confirms the recommendation for biopsy of suspicious, ultrasound-occult, mammographic findings. Mammographically guided biopsies were highly sensitive and specific in this study. Older patient age and a possible ultrasound correlation should raise concern given the increased likelihood of malignancy in those scenarios. Full article
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