Comparing Mammographic Measures Across Populations
A partir des données de 13 études cas-témoins, cette méta-analyse évalue l'intérêt de différents types de mesures de la densité mammographique (mesure relative ou absolue des zones denses, mesure des zones non denses) pour prédire le risque de cancer du sein chez les femmes préménopausées (1 776 cas et 2 834 témoins) ou ménopausées (6 643 cas et 11 187 témoins)
Mammography reveals wide variation among women in the composition and structure of the breast, reflecting the cumulative effects of genetic and environmental exposures that may also play roles in breast carcinogenesis (1,2). Mammographic density (MD), one measure of the characteristics of the image, reflects the relative representation of radiodense epithelial and stromal tissues and radiolucent adipose and has been studied as a biomarker of breast cancer risk for more than three decades (3–5).
This phenotype has been of great interest to researchers, clinicians, and women because it has consistently been found to be associated with higher breast cancer risk and, simultaneously, with reduced sensitivity of mammographic screening. Although the distribution of mammographic features varies by age and menopausal status (6) and between high- and low-risk populations (7), MD remains a strong risk predictor in all subpopulations. In addition, MD is a risk factor that seems to be applicable across the intrinsic subtypes of breast cancer (8).
Percentage density, defined as the proportion of the area of the breast...
Journal of the National Cancer Institute , éditorial, 2014