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Relationship between mammographic calcifications and the clinicopathologic characteristics of breast cancer in Western China: a retrospective multi-center study of 7317 female patients

  • Epidemiology
  • Published:
Breast Cancer Research and Treatment Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Background and purpose

Limited information is available regarding the correlations between mammographic calcifications and the epidemiological features of patients with breast cancer living different lifestyles in Western China. Thus, this study aimed to investigate the relationship between mammographic calcifications and the epidemiological characteristics of female patients with breast cancer in Western China.

Methods

This was a hospital-based, retrospective, multi-center epidemiological study of patients with breast cancer. Using the Western China Clinical Cooperation Group (WCCCG) database, we obtained the records of 7317 patients (with mammographic data) diagnosed with breast cancer between March 2011 and June 2016. These patients were divided into Groups I (mass alone) and II (mass combined with calcification), and their clinical and pathological data were compared.

Results

A total of 4211 patients were enrolled in Group I, and 3106 patients were enrolled in Group II. The tumors in Group II were more likely to be larger (P < 0.0001), higher grade (P = 0.0029), estrogen receptor (ER)+/progesterone receptor (PR)− (P = 0.0319), and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER-2)-positive (P < 0.0001), and to have axillary lymph node metastasis (P = 0.0033) than those in Group I. Regarding treatment, patients in Group II were more likely to have undergone chemotherapy (P = 0.0108) and anti-HER2 therapy (P = 0.0102), whereas patients in Group I were more likely to have undergone endocrine therapy (P < 0.0001).

Conclusions

In conclusion, mammographic calcifications in tumors were associated with distinct clinicopathologic characteristics and aggressive treatments.

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Abbreviations

ER:

Estrogen receptor

PR:

Progesterone receptor

HER-2:

Human epidermal growth factor receptor 2

CT:

Computed tomography

MRI:

Magnetic resonance imaging

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by a grant from the National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC Grant No. 81202090 to Ke Zheng).

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Endocrine and Breast Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, No. 1 Youyi Road, Yuzhong District, Chongqing, 400016, China

    Ke Zheng, Jin-Xiang Tan, Fan Li, Yu-Xian Wei, Xue-Dong Yin, Xin-Liang Su, Hong-Yuan Li & Guo-Sheng Ren

  2. Chongqing Key Laboratory of Molecular Oncology and Epigenetics, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China

    Guo-Sheng Ren

  3. Department of Surgical Oncology, Affiliated Hospital of Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan, Ningxia, China

    Qi-Lun Liu

  4. Department of Breast and Neck Surgery, Affiliated Tumor Hospital of Xinjiang Medical University, Ürümqi, Xinjiang, China

    Bin-Lin Ma

  5. Department of Breast Surgery, Affiliated Tumor Hospital of Xinjiang Medical University, Urumqi, Xinjiang, China

    Jiang-Hua Ou

  6. Department of Breast Surgery, Sichuan Province Tumor Hospital, Chengdu, Sichuan, China

    Hui Li

  7. Department of Breast Surgery, Gan Su Province Tumor Hospital, Lanzhou, Gansu, China

    Sui-Sheng Yang

  8. Department of Breast Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Kunming, Yunnan, China

    Ai-Mei Jiang

  9. Department of Breast Surgery, Guizhou People’s Hospital, Guiyang, Guizhou, China

    Qing Ni

  10. Department of Breast Surgery, GuangXi Medical University Affiliated Tumor Hospital, Nanning, Guangxi, China

    Jian-Lun Liu

  11. Department of Breast Surgery, Sichuan Academy of Medical Sciences & Sichuan Provincial People’s Hospital, Chengdu, Sichuan, China

    Jin-Ping Liu

  12. Department of Breast Surgery, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China

    Hong Zheng

  13. Mammary Department, Shaanxi Provincial Tumor Hospital, Xi’an, Shaanxi, China

    Zhang-Jun Song

  14. Department of Vascular and Endocrine Surgery, Xijing Hospital of Fourth Military Medical University, Xi’an, Shaanxi, China

    Ling Wang

  15. Department of Breast Surgery, the First Affiliated Hospital of Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, Shaanxi, China

    Jian-Jun He

  16. Department of Breast Surgery, the Third Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, No. 519, Kunzhou Road, Xishan District, Kunming, 650000, Yunnan, China

    Tian-Ning Zou

  17. Breast Disease Center, Southwest Hospital, Third Military Medical University, No. 29 Gaotanyan Street, Chongqing, 400038, China

    Jun Jiang

Authors
  1. Ke Zheng
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  2. Jin-Xiang Tan
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  3. Fan Li
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  4. Yu-Xian Wei
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  7. Hong-Yuan Li
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  9. Bin-Lin Ma
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  11. Hui Li
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  13. Ai-Mei Jiang
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  14. Qing Ni
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  15. Jian-Lun Liu
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  16. Jin-Ping Liu
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  17. Hong Zheng
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  18. Zhang-Jun Song
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  19. Ling Wang
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  21. Tian-Ning Zou
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  22. Jun Jiang
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  23. Guo-Sheng Ren
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Corresponding authors

Correspondence to Tian-Ning Zou, Jun Jiang or Guo-Sheng Ren.

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Zheng, K., Tan, JX., Li, F. et al. Relationship between mammographic calcifications and the clinicopathologic characteristics of breast cancer in Western China: a retrospective multi-center study of 7317 female patients. Breast Cancer Res Treat 166, 569–582 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10549-017-4406-2

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