"Ultrasound identified 100 percent of cancers in our study, and mammography demonstrated 90 percent," said Wei T. Yang, M.D., chief investigator of the study and associate professor of diagnostic radiology at the M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, Breast Imaging Section. "We want young women to know that symptomatic breast cancer that occurs during pregnancy can be imaged, diagnosed and treated while pregnant, so they should not wait to seek medical attention if they start to have suspicious symptoms."
Hormonal changes during pregnancy and lactation create an increase in breast volume and firmness, making detection of breast masses difficult. Additionally, the need for immediate investigation and treatment in these cases is complicated by safety concerns for a developing fetus.
In the study, 23 women were diagnosed with 24 breast cancers. Seventeen tumors were diagnosed with a combination of ultrasound and mammography, four were diagnosed with ultrasound alone, and three were diagnosed with mammography alone. Mammography revealed 18 tumors in the 20 women who had mammograms (90 percent).
Ultrasound demonstrated all 21 tumors in all 20 women who had ultrasound exams (100 percent). Additionally, ultrasound depicted the spread of cancer to the lymph nodes in 15 of 18 women (83 percent) who had this area evaluated.
Invasive ductal carcinoma comprised the majority of cancers (18 patients). Sixty percent of women had stage III cancer, and 30 percent had stage II. Only one woman had stage I breast cancer, and the remaining woman had stage IV cancer with m
Contact: Heather Babiar
Radiological Society of North America