The qualitative and quantitative features of contrast-enhanced ultrasound in biomarker expression of breast cancer / 中华超声影像学杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective:To evaluate the relationships among contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) features, molecular type, and biomarker expression of breast cancer.Methods:A retrospectively analysis of breast cancer patients confirmed by pathology were performed using Breast Imaging Report And Data System (BI-RADS) ultrasound category lesions in the Second Affiliated Hospital Zhejiang University School of Medicine from May 2020 to April 2021. All patients underwent conventional ultrasound and CEUS before biopsy and/or surgery. The relationships among BI-RADS category, quantitative and qualitative CEUS features and biomarker expression of breast cancer were evaluated.Results:All 149 patients with 149 breast lesions were included. The numbers of BI-RADS category 4A, 4B, 4C, and 5 were 8, 60, 49, and 32, respectively. Among them, the numbers of Luminal A like, Luminal B like (human epidermal growth factor receptor-2 (HER-2) positive), Luminal B like (HER-2 negative), HER-2 overexpression and triple negative type were 81, 29, 17, 15, and 7. No significant correlations were found among BI-RADS category, molecular types, and biomarker estrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PR), HER-2, and antigen Ki-67 (Ki-67) expression (all P>0.05). There were no correlations between quantitative or qualitative CEUS features and molecular types of breast cancer (all P>0.05). There were no correlations between qualitative CEUS variables and ER, PR, HER-2, and Ki-67 expression (all P>0.05). Ascending slope (AS) were negatively correlated with ER and PR expression( r=-0.40, P=0.01; r=-0.35, P=0.03). Descending slope (DS) were positively correlated with ER and PR expression( r=0.42, P=0.01; r=0.36, P=0.03). Arrive time (AT) were positively correlated with HER-2 expression( r=0.37, P=0.02). Conclusions:AS and DS are correlated with ER and PR expression.Arrive time (AT) is correlated with HER-2 expression. The quantitative variables of CEUS are helpful for evaluation of biomarker expression in breast cancer.