Abstract
The significance of mammography in the detection of contralateral primary breast cancer was evaluated in 55 patients with bilateral breast disease. Fifteen (65%) of 23 patients in the synchronous group and 16 (50%) of 32 patients in the metachronous group had clinically occult carcinoma in the opposite breast. Excluding the 2 malignancies discovered by prophylactic mastectomy, mammography alone was responsible for the detection of 29 (52.7%) nonpalpable, contralateral breast carcinomas. The whole series of 110 malignant breasts comprised 41 nonpalpable carcinomas, of which 12 were noninvasive [ductal carcinoma in situ (7) and lobular carcinoma in situ (5)] and the remaining 29 were invasive carcinomas, either ductal of various types (25) or lobular (4). With regard to the évaluable axillary nodes, 20 (54.1%) of 37 palpable breast cancers and only 3 (11.5%) of 26 nonpalpable breast carcinomas had positive lymph nodes. The multicentricity rate was particularly high in synchronous tumors (70.6%), and in invasive lobular (73.3%) and noninvasive (75%) carcinomas. The favorable 5- and 10-year survival of patients, both in synchronous and metachronous bilateral primary breast cancer, justify that they be treated with aggressive optimism.
Résumé
La valeur de la mammographie dans le dépistage du cancer mammaire primitif controlatéral a été étudié chez 55 malades qui ont présenté un cancer bilatéral du sein. Quinze des 23 malades (65%) dans le groupe synchrone et seize des 32 malades (50%) dans le groupe métachrone présentaient un cancer cliniquement occulte dans le sein opposé. Exclusion faite de 2 cas de tumeurs malignes découverts par une mammectomie prophylactique la mammographie à elle seule permit de dépister dans le sein opposé 29 (52.7%) cas de cancers impalpables. La série, au total 110 cas de tumeurs malignes, comprenait 41 cancers impalpables dont 12 étaient non invasifs (7 cancers in situ canaliculaires et 5 cancers in situ lobulaires) et 29 étaient invasifs (25 cancers canaliculaires de type variable et 4 cancers lobulaires). En ce qui concerne les ganglions axillaires ils étaient envahis dans 20 (54.1%) des 37 des cancers palpables et 3 (11.5%) des 26 cancers non palpables. Le taux de foyers multiples était particulièrement élevé dans les tumeurs synchrones (70.6%), dans les cancers lobulaires invasifs (73.3%) et dans les cancers non invasifs (75%). Le taux favorable de survie à 5 ans et à 10 ans des malades atteints de cancers du sein, aussi bien dans le groupe synchrone que dans le groupe métachrone justifie de les traiter avec aggressivité et optimisme.
Resumen
La significación de la mamografía en la detección del cáncer mamario primario contralateral fue valorada en 55 pacientes con enfermedad mamaria bilateral. Quince (65%) de 23 pacientes en el grupo con enfermedad síncrona y 16 (50%) de 32 pacientes en el grupo con enfermedad metácrona poseían carcinoma clínicamente oculto en el otro seno. Excluyendo las 2 neoplasias malignas descubiertas en mastectomfa profiláctica, la mamografía de por sí fue responsable de la detección de 29 (52.7%) carcinomas contralaterales no palpables. La totalidad de la serie de 110 neoplasias malignas comprendió 41 carcinomas no palpables, de los cuales 12 fueron no invasivos (7 carcinomas ductales in situ y 5 carcinomas lobulillares in situ) y los 29 restantes fueron carcinomas invasivos, unos ductales de diversos tipos (25) y otros lobulillares (4). En relación con los ganglios axilares valorables, 20 (54.1%) de 37 cánceres palpables y sólo 3 (11.5%) de 26 carcinomas no palpables tenían ganglios linfáticos palpables. La tasa de multicentricidad apareció particularmente alta en los tumores síncronos (70.6%) y en los carcinomas lobulillares invasivos (73.3%) y no invasivos (75%). La supervivencia favorable a 5 y 10 años de los pacientes, tanto en el cáncer primario bilateral síncrono como en el metácrono, justifica que sean tratadas con agresivo optimismo.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Kilgore, A.R.: The incidence of cancer in the second breast after radical removal of one breast for cancer. J.A.M.A.77:454, 1921
Lesser, M.L., Rosen, P.P., Kinne, D.W.: Multicentricity and bilaterality in invasive breast carcinoma. Surgery91:234, 1982
Robbins, G.F., Berg, J.W.: Bilateral primary breast cancers. A prospective clinicopathological study. Cancer17:1501, 1964
Haagensen, C.D.: Primary carcinoma in the second breast. In Diseases of the Breast, second edition, revised reprint, Philadelphia, W.B. Saunders, 1971, pp. 449–458
Al-Jurf, A.S., Jochimsen, P.R., Urdaneta, L.F., Scott, D.H.: Factors influencing survival in bilateral breast cancer. J. Surg. Oncol.16:343, 1981
Urban, J.A.: Biopsy of the “normal” breast in treating breast cancer. Surg. Clin. North Am.49:291, 1969
Urban, J.A., Papachristou, D., Taylor, J.: Bilateral breast cancer. Biopsy of the opposite breast. Cancer40:1968, 1977
Leis, H.P.: Bilateral breast cancer. Surg. Clin. North Am.58:833, 1978
Leis, H.P.: Managing the remaining breast. Cancer46:1026, 1980
Snyderman, R.K.: Prophylactic mastectomy: Pros and cons. Cancer53:803, 1984
Egan, R.L.: Bilateral breast carcinomas. Role of mammography. Cancer38:931, 1976
Tinnemans, J.G.M., Wobbes, T., van der Sluis, R.F., Lubbers, E.J.C., de Boer, H.H.M.: Multicentricity in nonpalpable breast carcinoma and its implications for treatment. Am. J. Surg.151:334, 1986
Kaplan, E.L., Meier, P.: Nonparametric estimation from incomplete observations. J. Am. Stat. Assoc.53:457, 1958
Donegan, W.L., Spratt, J.S.: Cancer of the second breast. In Cancer of the Breast, volume V, Major Problems in Clinical Surgery, second edition, W.L. Donegan, J.S. Spratt, Philadelphia, W.B. Saunders, 1979, pp. 464–483
Prior, P., Waterhouse, J.A.H.: The incidence of bilateral breast cancer: II. A proposed model for the analysis of coincidental tumours. Br. J. Cancer45:615, 1981
Slack, N.H., Bross, I.D.J., Nemoto, T., Fisher, B.: Experiences with bilateral primary carcinoma of the breast. Surg. Gynecol. Obstet.136:433, 1973
Schottenfeld, D., Berg, J.: Incidence of multiple primary cancers. IV. Cancers of the female breast and genital organs. J. Natl. Cancer. Inst.46:161, 1971
Chaudary, M.A., Millis, R.R., Hoskins, E.O.L., Halder, M., Bulbrook, R.D., Cuzick, J., Hayward, J.L.: Bilateral primary breast cancer: A prospective study of disease incidence. Br. J. Surg.71:711, 1984
Bailey, M.J., Royce, C., Sloane, J.P., Ford, H.T., Powles, T.J., Gazet, J.-C.: Bilateral carcinoma of the breast. Br. J. Surg.67:514, 1980
Guiss, L.W.: The problem of bilateral independent mammary carcinoma. Am. J. Surg.88:171, 1954
Moertel, C.G., Soule, E.H.: The problem of the second breast: A study of 118 patients with bilateral carcinoma of the breast. Ann. Surg.146:764, 1957
Mustacchi, P., Pandolfi, A., Bucalossi, P.: Bilateral mammary cancer in Italian women. J. Natl. Cancer. Inst.19:1035, 1957
Herrmann, J.B.: Management of the contralateral breast after mastectomy for unilateral carcinoma. Surg. Gynecol. Obstet.136: 777, 1973
Devitt, J.E.: Bilateral mammary cancer. Ann. Surg.174:774, 1971
Lewison, E.F., Neto, A.S.: Bilateral breast cancer at the Johns Hopkins Hospital. A discussion of the dilemma of contralateral breast cancer. Cancer28:1297, 1971
Kesseler, H.J., Grier, R.N., Seidman, I., McIlveen, S.J.: Bilateral primary breast cancer. J.A.M.A.236:278, 1976
Martin, J.K., van Heerden, J.A., Gaffey, T.A.: Synchronous and metachronous carcinoma of the breast. Surgery91:12, 1982
King, R.E., Terz, J.J., Lawrence, W.: Experience with opposite breast biopsy in patients with operable breast cancer. Cancer37:43, 1976
Andersen, L.I., Muchardt, O.: Simultaneous bilateral cancer of the breast-evaluation of the use of a contralateral biopsy. Acta Chir. Scand.146:407, 1980
Fenig, J., Arlen, M., Livingston, S.F., Levowitz, B.S.: The potential of carcinoma existing synchronously on a microscopic level within the second breast. Surg. Gynecol. Obstet.141:394, 1975
Fracchia, A.A., Robinson, D., Legaspi, A., Greenall, M.J., Kinne, D.W., Groshen, S.: Survival in bilateral breast cancer. Cancer55:1414, 1985
Rosen, P.P., Braun, D.W., Lyngholm, B., Urban, J.A., Kinne, D.W.: Lobular carcinoma in situ of the breast: Preliminary results of treatment by ipsilateral mastectomy and contralateral breast biopsy. Cancer47:813, 1981
Haagensen, C.D., Lane, N., Lattes, R., Bodian, C.: Lobular neoplasia (so-called lobular carcinoma in situ) of the breast. Cancer42:737, 1978
Wanebo, H.J., Senofsky, G.M., Fechner, R.E., Kaiser, D., Lynn, S., Paradies, J.: Bilateral breast cancer. Risk reduction by contralateral biopsy. Ann. Surg.201:667, 1985
Rush, B.F., Kramer, W.M.: Proliferative histologic changes and occult carcinoma in the breast of the aging female. Surg. Gynecol. Obstet.117:425, 1963
Berge, T., Östberg, G.: Bilateral carcinoma of the female breast. Acta Chir. Scand.140:27, 1974
Lawson, R.: Mammary cancer—the other breast. Can. Med. Assoc. J.73:676, 1955
Foote, F.W., Stewart, F.W.: Comparative studies of cancerous versus noncancerous breasts. Ann. Surg.121:197, 1945
McCredie, J.A., Inch, W.R., Alderson, M.: Consecutive primary carcinomas of the breast. Cancer35:1472, 1975
Schell, S.R., Montague, E.D., Spanos, W.J., du Tapley, N., Fletcher, G.H., Oswald, M.J.: Bilateral breast cancer in patients with initial stage I and II disease. Cancer50:1191, 1982
Holland, R., Mravunac, M., Hendriks, J.H.C.L., Bekker, B.V.: So-called interval cancers of the breast. Pathologic and radiologic analysis of sixty-four cases. Cancer49:2527, 1982
Holland, R., Hendriks, J.H.C.L., Mravunac, M.: Mammographically occult breast cancer. Cancer52:1810, 1983
Finney, Jr., G.G., Finney, G.G., Montague, A.C.W., Stonesifer, G.L., Brown, C.C.: Bilateral breast cancer, clinical and pathological review. Ann. Surg.175:635, 1972
Wilson, N.D., Alberty, R.E.: Bilateral carcinoma of the breast. Am. J. Surg.126:244, 1973
Huff, L.: Bilateral carcinoma of the breast. Am. J. Surg.118:550, 1969
Pack, G.T.: Argument for bilateral mastectomy. Surgery29:929, 1951
Horton, J.: Follow-up of breast cancer patients. Cancer53:790, 1984
Peters, T.G., Donegan, W.L., Burg, E.A.: Minimal breast cancer: A clinical appraisal. Ann. Surg.186:704, 1977
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Tinnemans, J.G.M., Wobbes, T., Hendriks, J.H.C.L. et al. The role of mammography in the detection of bilateral primary breast cancer. World J. Surg. 12, 382–387 (1988). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01655680
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01655680