Imaging of Pregnancy Associated Breast Cancer

Abstract

Background: Pregnancy-Associated Breast Cancer (PABC) is breast cancer presenting either during pregnancy or in the first postpartum year. Aim of Study:The purpose of this study was to calculate the incidence of pregnancy associated breast cancer in patients presenting with clinically palpable masses during pregnancy or first postpartum year and to evaluate the role of sonomammography in the diagnosis of pregnancy associated breast cancer. Patients and Methods:The study included 100 female patients with clinically palpable breast masses discovered during pregnancy and first year of lactation. All patients were evaluated by Ultrasound. Mammography was only performed on 23 patients. Mammographic and sonographic findings were evaluated retrospectively. No further diagnostic evaluation was done in case of benign radiological findings, yet biopsy was the next step performed if findings were suspicious. Results:In total, 100 women were enrolled in this study; the mean age of this study population was 29 years. Among the studied cases only 15 cases (n=15/100, 15%) were malignant, their age ranged from 26 years to 40 years with average 34.6, four of them (n=4/15) were presented by right breast palpable lumps and 11 (n=11/15) by left breast palpable lumps. Ultrasound helped to classify 2 cases (n=2/15) as BIRADS 4 and the rest (n=13/15) as BIRADS 5. Ultrasound guided biopsy was then performed for the 15 patients confirming their malignant nature. Conclusion:Even though the majority of the pregnancyassociated breast masses are benign; a strict evaluation of any lesion is still required to exclude malignancy.