Tumor characteristics and detection method in the MRISC screening program for the early detection of hereditary breast cancer.

In the MRISC study, women with an inherited risk for breast cancer were screened by a 6-month clinical breast examination (CBE) and yearly MRI and mammography. We found that the MRISC screening scheme could facilitate early breast cancer diagnosis and that MRI was a more sensitive screening method than mammography, but less specific. In the current study we investigated the contribution of MRI in the early detection of breast cancer in relation to tumor characteristics. From November 1999 to October 2003, 1909 women were included and 50 breast cancers were detected, of which 45 were evaluable and included in the current study. We compared the characteristics of tumors detected by MRI-only with those of all other (non-palpable) screen-detected tumors. Further, we compared the sensitivity of mammography and MRI within subgroups according to different tumor characteristics. Twenty-two (49%) of the 45 breast cancers were detected by MRI and not visible at mammography, of which 20 (44%) were also not palpable (MRI-only detected tumors). MRI-only detected tumors were more often node-negative than other screen-detected cancers (94 vs. 59%; P=0.02) and tended to be more often

The significance of circumscribed malignant mammographic masses in the surveillance of BRCA 1/2 gene mutation carriers.

Breast cancers in gene mutation carriers may escape mammographic detection because of rapid growth and tumor expansion. Therefore, they may mimic benign lesions on the mammogram. Twenty-nine BRCA 1/2 mutation carriers under surveillance developed 31 breast cancers between 1994 and 2001 at a mean age of 44.2 years. Controls were 63 women with 67 breast cancers in the same period at a mean age of 53.8 years, also under surveillance because of a life time risk of at least 15%. In 26% of the carriers vs. 48% of the controls, mammography was the method that first suspected a malignancy. Seven radiologists performed a retrospective review of the original mammograms to establish technical assessment, with special attention for circumscribed lesions and estimated probability of malignancy. In the mutation carriers seven (23%) circumscribed non-calcified mammographic masses were found and three in the controls (4.5%) P=0.01. These masses were proven to be malignant. In both groups around 70% of these fast-growing circumscribed lesions were detected by the patients. The masses were situated in breasts with a good interpretable breast pattern. BRCA 1/2 mutation carriers had a significantly higher percentage of circumscribed non-calcified mammographic masses that proved to be malignant. These mammographic lesions in women at high risk should be described as at least Birads 0 and worked-up with ultrasound and needle biopsy.

A comparison of physical examination and imaging in determining the extent of primary penile carcinoma.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the accuracy of physical examination and imaging in assessing the extent of the primary tumour in squamous cell carcinoma of the penis. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A physical examination, ultrasonography and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) were used before surgery in 33 patients with penile carcinoma. The tumour size, infiltration of the penile structures and infiltration depth were assessed. The results were compared with the histopathological examination of the resected specimen. RESULTS: Tumour size was determined with the highest precision by the physical examination (residual sd of 8.1 mm); ultrasonography and MRI were less precise (residual sd 8.9 mm and 9.3 mm). In assessing infiltration depth, ultrasonography and MRI had comparable precision (residual sd 3.7 mm and 3.8 mm). The positive predictive value of corpus cavernosum infiltration was 6/6 for physical examination, 4/6 for ultrasonography and 6/8 for MRI; the sensitivity was 6/7, 4/7 and 6/6, respectively. CONCLUSION: Physical examination is a reliable method for estimating penile tumour size and predicts corpus cavernosum infiltration with a high positive predictive value. Tumours for which the infiltration of the corpora cannot be determined properly by physical palpation only should be examined by imaging.