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Mammographic density changes following discontinuation of tamoxifen in premenopausal women with oestrogen receptor-positive breast cancer

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Abstract

Objectives

To evaluate the changes in mammographic density after tamoxifen discontinuation in premenopausal women with oestrogen receptor-positive breast cancers and the underlying factors

Methods

A total of 213 consecutive premenopausal women with breast cancer who received tamoxifen treatment after curative surgery and underwent three mammograms (baseline, after tamoxifen treatment, after tamoxifen discontinuation) were included. Changes in mammographic density after tamoxifen discontinuation were assessed qualitatively (decrease, no change, or increase) by two readers and measured quantitatively by semi-automated software. The association between % density change and clinicopathological factors was evaluated using univariate and multivariate regression analyses.

Results

After tamoxifen discontinuation, a mammographic density increase was observed in 31.9% (68/213, reader 1) to 22.1% (47/213, reader 2) by qualitative assessment, with a mean density increase of 1.8% by quantitative assessment compared to density before tamoxifen discontinuation. In multivariate analysis, younger age (≤ 39 years) and greater % density decline after tamoxifen treatment (≥ 17.0%) were independent factors associated with density change after tamoxifen discontinuation (p < .001 and p = .003, respectively).

Conclusions

Tamoxifen discontinuation was associated with mammographic density change with a mean density increase of 1.8%, which was associated with younger age and greater density change after tamoxifen treatment.

Key Points

• Increased mammographic density after tamoxifen discontinuation can occur in premenopausal women.

• Mean density increase after tamoxifen discontinuation was 1.8%.

• Density increase is associated with age and density decrease after tamoxifen.

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Funding

This study has received funding by the Basic Science Research Program through the National Research Foundation of Korea funded by the Ministry of Education (NRF-2014R1A1A2053682).

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Radiology, Seoul National University Hospital, 101 Daehak-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul, 110-744, Republic of Korea

    Won Hwa Kim, Nariya Cho & Young-Seon Kim

  2. Department of Radiology, Kyungpook National University Chilgok Hospital, Daegu, Republic of Korea

    Won Hwa Kim

  3. Department of Radiology, Seoul National College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea

    Nariya Cho & Ann Yi

  4. Institute of Radiation Medicine, Seoul National University Medical Research Center, Seoul, Republic of Korea

    Nariya Cho

  5. Department of Radiology, College of Medicine, Yeungnam University, Daegu, Republic of Korea

    Young-Seon Kim

  6. Department of Radiology, Gangnam Healthcare Center, Seoul, Republic of Korea

    Ann Yi

Authors
  1. Won Hwa Kim
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  2. Nariya Cho
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  3. Young-Seon Kim
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  4. Ann Yi
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Nariya Cho.

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Guarantor

The scientific guarantor of this publication is Nariya Cho.

Conflict of interest

The authors of this manuscript declare no relationships with any companies whose products or services may be related to the subject matter of the article.

Statistics and biometry

No complex statistical methods were necessary for this paper.

Ethical approval

Institutional review board approval was obtained.

Informed consent

Written informed consent was waived by the institutional review board.

Methodology

• retrospective

• observational

• performed at one institution

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Kim, W.H., Cho, N., Kim, YS. et al. Mammographic density changes following discontinuation of tamoxifen in premenopausal women with oestrogen receptor-positive breast cancer. Eur Radiol 28, 3176–3184 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00330-017-5293-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00330-017-5293-y

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