Cellular proliferative activity of mammographic normal dense and fatty tissue determined by DNA S phase percentage

Abstract

A prospective study was undertaken to evaluate associations among mammographic normal dense and fatty tissue, benign histologic findings, and cellular proliferative activity determined by DNA S phase percentages. Mammographic and histologic findings of benign, normal dense and fatty tissue contained in 100 excised specimens were cross-tabulated with flow cytometric DNA S phase percentages of needle aspirates obtained under radiographic guidance. Histologic evidence of atypia or hyperplasia was present in 21 (32%) of 66 fatty tissue samples and 11 (32%) of 34 dense tissue samples (p = NS). The median S phase percentages were identical for mammographic fatty and dense tissue (median % S phase = 5.35). The frequency of high S phase percentages (above the median) was not significantly different for tissue containing atypia or hyperplasia, 47% (15 of 32), as compared to tissue containing other benign histology, 52% (35 of 68) (p = NS). These frequencies were similar in women 49 and younger or 50 and older. These data show that mammographic normal dense and fatty tissues contain similar frequencies of histologic atypia or hyperplasia and low and high cellular proliferative activity determined by DNA S phase percentages in women aged 49 and younger and 50 and older.

Breast Density and Breast Cancer Risk: Understanding of Biology and Risk

“…All but one study [24] reported no association. Lack of association between mammographic density and cellular proliferation has also been reported by Stomper et al, who measured DNA S-phase percentages in dense (n=34) and fatty (n=66) breast tissue ≥2 cm away from the mammographic lesion [38]. Moreover, Hawes et al found lower proliferation rates in high and medium density compared with low density of connective tissue in tissue blocks from 12 women undergoing reduction mammoplasty [44].…”

“…Many studies have assessed the association between mammographic density and histological or cytomorphological breast cancer risk factors, such as carcinoma in situ, atypical hyperplasia, and hyperplasia without atypia [20,26,[30][31][32][33][34][35][36][37][38][39][40]. Although results from these studies have been mixed, several studies have reported a positive association between mammographic density and these and other proliferative lesions (reviewed in, for example, Boyd et al [21]).…”

Measurement of pharmacokinetic parameters in histologically graded invasive breast tumours using dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI

“…Whilst it is not possible to trace all possible sources of discrepancy between the results presented in this study and other clinical studies where the relationship between tumour grade and black-box quantifiers of DCE-MRI was investigated, one probable source of variability lies in the different acquisition sensitivity to underlying T1 changes. The most T1-sensitive acquisition sequence was used by Stomper et al [32,36]. However, their studies included only a small number of subjects, and the imaging volume encompassed only five contiguous slices.…”

“…Their results appear to be inconclusive and contradictory. Whilst Mussurakis [33] and Bone [35] found a significant correlation between DCE-MRI and prognostic factors, Fischer [34] and Stomper [32] found no correlation between them.…”

“…Only a few studies have attempted to directly correlate DCE-MRI findings with prognostic factors such as tumour grade and nodal status in clinical studies of breast cancer [32][33][34][35][36]. None of these studies included pharmacokinetic analysis of DCE-MRI.…”