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Stiffness of tumours measured by shear-wave elastography correlated with subtypes of breast cancer

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Abstract

Objective

To evaluate the correlation between stiffness values obtained by shear-wave elastography (SWE) and breast cancer subtypes.

Methods

This was an institutional review board-approved retrospective study with a waiver of informed consent. The stiffness of 337 invasive breast cancers in 337 women was evaluated by SWE and mean stiffness values (kPa) and qualitative colour scores (1–5) of tumours were obtained. The results were analysed according to BI-RADS category, tumour size, grade and tumour subtype (triple-negative [TN], human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 [HER2]-positive, and oestrogen receptor [ER]-positive) using a multiple linear regression analysis.

Results

The mean stiffness values and colour scores were: 146.8 kPa ± 57.0 and 4.1 ± 1.1; 165.8 kPa ± 48.5 and 4.6 ± 0.7 for TN tumours (n = 64), 160.3 kPa ± 56.2 and 4.3 ± 1.0 for HER2-positive tumours (n = 55) and 136.9 kPa ± 57.2 and 4.0 ± 1.1 for ER-positive tumours (n = 218; P < 0.0001). All three breast cancers classified as BI-RADS category 3 on B-mode ultrasound were TN subtype. A multiple linear regression analysis revealed that tumour size, histological grade and tumour subtype were independent factors that influenced the stiffness values.

Conclusion

High stiffness values correlated with aggressive subtypes of breast cancer.

Key points

• Shear-wave elastography is increasingly used to measure the stiffness of breast tumours.

• Triple-negative and HER2-positive tumours showed greater stiffness than ER-positive tumours.

• All breast cancers classified as BI-RADS 3 on B-mode ultrasound were triple-negative subtype.

• Tumour size, histological grade and subtype were independent factors influencing SWE stiffness.

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Acknowledgments

The research was supported by the Converging Research Center Program through the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology (2012K001499), the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) grant funded by the Korean government (MEST) (no. 2012A01010846), and the SNUH Research Fund (03-2012-0400).

The SWE data of 61 of 337 of our subjects have been used and published in our previous paper [3].

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Radiology, Seoul National University Hospital, 28, Yongon-dong, Chongno-gu, Seoul, 110-744, Korea

    Jung Min Chang, Su Hyun Lee, Won Hwa Kim, Min Sun Bae, Hye Ryoung Koo, Nariya Cho & Woo Kyung Moon

  2. Department of Pathology, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, Korea

    In Ae Park

  3. Department of Radiology, Seoul Metropolitan Government Seoul National University, Boramae Medical Center, Seoul, Korea

    Ann Yi & Seung Ja Kim

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  1. Jung Min Chang
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Correspondence to Woo Kyung Moon.

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Chang, J.M., Park, I.A., Lee, S.H. et al. Stiffness of tumours measured by shear-wave elastography correlated with subtypes of breast cancer. Eur Radiol 23, 2450–2458 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00330-013-2866-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00330-013-2866-2

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