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Purpose: This study investigated the correlation between non-mass-like enhancement (NME) observed on preoperative breast magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and the actual pathological size of breast cancer. We further examined the effect of NME on the positive resection margins during partial mastectomy.Methods: We retrospectively collected data from breast cancer patients who underwent surgery between January 2018 and September 2020. Patients were divided into two groups based on their MRI findings: NME and no-NME (mass-like lesion only) groups. The medical records, including MRI findings and clinicopathological information of patients, were collected retrospectively, and correlations with pathologic results were analyzed. Propensity score matching was applied to develop comparable cohorts of the NME group and no-NME group.Results: This study included a total of 317 patients, with 66 and 251 patients in the NME and no-NME groups, respectively. The mean pathologic size of invasive lesion was significantly smaller than the mean lesion size in the NME group (1.55±1.39 cm vs. 3.45±1.81 cm, p

Purpose: The malignancy rates within the Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System (BI-RADS) category 4a and 4b lesions were examined, and the correlations with the histopathology results were analyzed. In addition, the positive predictive value (PPV) and clinical utility of BIRADS category 4a and 4b lesions for predicting a malignancy were assessed. Methods : : From January 2017 to December 2019, patients with BI-RADS category 4a and 4b lesions on breast ultrasonography (US) who underwent a subsequent core needle biopsy in the authors’ institution were evaluated. The clinical, pathological, and sonographic features were assessed to identify the malignancy rate and pathologic factors predictive of malignancy. The sensitivity, specificity, PPV, and negative predictive value (NPV) were calculated. A Binary logistic regression test was used to estimate the odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI). Results : : The study population included 314 lesions in 275 patients (mean age, 45.3 years; range, 21–78 years). The overall malignancy rate was 9.8% (31 of 314). The malignancy rates among the BI-RADS category 4a and 4b lesions were 9.3% (28 out of 300) and 21.4% (3 out of 14), respectively. Compared to the well-defined margins, ill-defined margins were associated with an increased risk of breast cancer with a corresponding OR (95% CI) of 1.880 (1.304-2.554). The sensitivity, specificity, PPV, and NPV of the C4a and C4b lesions were as follows: 90.3%, 3.9%, 9.4%, and 78.6%, respectively, for C4a lesions and, 9.7%, 96.1%, 21.4%, and 90.6%, respectively, for C4b lesions. Only the equivocal elasticity on ultrasonography was associated with an increased risk of breast cancer with an OR (95% CI) of 2.357 (1.004-5.532). Conclusion : : BI-RADS categories 4a and 4b are useful for predicting malignancy. Nevertheless, further studies will be needed to identify more predictive factors for breast cancer.

Mammographic density (MD) of the breast and body mass index (BMI) are inversely associated with each other, but have inconsistent associations with respect to the risk of breast cancer. Skeletal muscle mass index (SMI) has been considered to reflect a relatively accurate fat and muscle percentage in the body. So, we evaluated the relation between SMI and MD. A cross-sectional study was performed in 143,456 women who underwent comprehensive examinations from 2012 to 2016. BMI was adjusted to analyze whether SMI is an independent factor predicting dense breast. After adjustment for confounding factors including BMI, the odds ratios for MD for the dense breasts was between the highest and lowest quartiles of SMI at 2.65 for premenopausal women and at 2.39 for postmenopausal women. SMI was a significant predictor for MD, which could be due to the similar growth mechanism of the skeletal muscle and breast parenchymal tissue. Further studies are needed to understand the causal link between muscularity, MD and breast cancer risk.

Purpose: Upstaging to invasive cancer (IC) is often found after surgery in those patients diagnosed with ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) and who underwent preoperative needle biopsy. This may change the post-surgical plans that include the re-operation, chemotherapy, and/or radiotherapy. Yet, there are no clinically available factors to predict IC in preoperatively diagnosed DCIS patients. This study evaluated the clinical and pathological predictive risk factors for upgrading DCIS to IC. Methods: This study retrospectively evaluated those patients who were diagnosed with DCIS preoperatively, and this diagnosis was followed by performing breast surgery between Jan 2005 and June 2018. Clinico-pathological factors were collected for the analysis between the pure DCIS group and the IC group. Results: Of the 431 patients included in the study, 34 (7.9%) were upstaged to IC after surgery, and 397 (92.1%) were diagnosed as having pure DCIS. The nuclear grade was the sole predictor of upstaging to IC on the analysis of the clinico-pathological factors (odds ratio [OR] = 2.39, 95% confidence interval [95% CI] = 1.05–5.42, P = 0.038 on the univariate analysis; aOR = 2.86, 95% CI = 1.14–7.14, P = 0.025 on the multivariate analysis). The mass’s size and characteristics, as determined by sonography, were not predictive of IC. Conclusion: The sonographic findings were not significant factors for predicting IC in preoperative DCIS patients. A high nuclear grade was the only statistically significant factor associated with IC. Considering the variability of the gauge of biopsy needles or the method for needle biopsy, large-scale prospective studies that control these variables may well reveal available predictive factors of IC in patients with DCIS.

The impact of variations in serum thyroid hormone concentration within the euthyroid range on breast cancer risk remains unclear. We investigated the effect of serum thyrotropin (TSH) and thyroid hormone concentration on breast cancer risk. This cohort study involved 62,546 Korean women, aged ≥40 years, who were free of breast cancer at baseline and underwent health examination with determination of free thyroxine (FT4) and TSH. A parametric proportional hazard model was used to estimate the adjusted hazard ratio (aHR) and 95% confidence interval (CI). During a median follow-up of 4.8 years (interquartile range: 2.8-7.3 years), 834 incident breast cancers were identified. Compared to normal FT4 level, abnormally high serum FT4 level was associated with an increased risk of incident breast cancer with a corresponding multivariable aHR (95% CI) of 1.98 (1.02-3.83). This association tended to be stronger in postmenopausal women than in premenopausal women. Within the euthyroid range, the highest TSH tertile was associated with a lower risk of breast cancer than the lowest TSH tertile with a corresponding aHR (95% CI) of 0.68 (0.55-0.84). In contrast, highest FT4 tertile was associated with a higher risk of breast cancer than the lowest FT4 tertile. Abnormally high FT4 as well as higher FT4 within the euthyroid range were positively associated with breast cancer risk, while higher TSH concentration within the euthyroid range was negatively associated with breast cancer risk. Our findings indicate that thyroid function within both the abnormal and euthyroid ranges may contribute to the development of breast cancer.

BackgroundsLateral lymph node metastasis (LNM), which significantly impacts papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) patients’ prognosis. Papillary thyroid microcarcinoma (PTMC) is known to have a much better prognosis than non-PTMC, but it has not been known whether there is such a difference even with lateral LNM. MethodsThis retrospective study included a series of 3336 consecutive PTC patients who underwent thyroidectomy. Of them, 206 had lateral LNM and were divided into the PTMC and non-PTMC groups by tumor size (1-cm) for comparing the prevalence of prognostic factors. ResultsLNM was in 157/1131 (13.9%) non-PTMC patients and 49/2205 (2.2%) PTMC patients. Eleven of the 206 (5.3%) lateral LNM cases not found on US were only seen on computed tomography. The prevalence of prognostic factors which include an age of >55 years, >5 metastatic lymph nodes (LNs), high metastatic-to-examined LN ratio, and large metastatic LNs (>3 cm) were not significantly different between PTMC and non-PTMC group. ConclusionIn PTC with lateral LNM, the prognosis is likely to be similar regardless of tumor size. Considering the modest risk of lateral LNM in PTMC, FNA for small thyroid tumor and radiologic tests for lateral LNM should be encouraged.

Background: Preoperative evaluation of breast cancer using contrast-enhanced digital mammography (CEDM) as a possible alternative to contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (CEMRI) has gained acceptance. Our aim is to compare the diagnostic performance of CEDM and CEMRI for chemotherapeutic response in breast cancer patients who underwent neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC).Methods: From November 2017 to October 2018, 30 patients with invasive carcinoma who performed both CEDM and CEMRI were included. Residual malignancy sizes after NAC were compared with histopathological results. The diagnostic performances for detecting residual cancers were compared using Lin concordance and Pearson correlation coefficients.Results: Thirty patients were included for the analysis. Mean tumor size after NAC was 1.22 cm (range: 0–7.0 cm) for CEDM and 1.13 cm (range: 0–5.1cm) for CEMRI compared with 1.89 cm (range: 0–12.0 cm) at final pathology measurement. Sensitivity for identifying residual lesion was for CEDM and CEMRI is as follows (CEDM 62.5%, 95% CI 40.6–81.2, CEMRI 66.7%, 95% CI 44.7–84.4). The positive predictive value (PPV) for residual lesion was 93.8% (95% CI 69.8–99.8) for CEDM and 88.9% (95% CI 65.3–98.6) for CEMRI. CEDM had a mean difference from pathology measurement of 0.668 cm, with a concordance coefficient of 0.202 and a Pearson correlation coefficient of 0.231 (p=0.220).Conclusions: Diagnostic value of CEDM for detecting residual tumor extent after NAC was comparable to that of CEMRI.

The interrelationship between menopausal stage, excessive adiposity and dense breasts remains unclear. We aimed to investigate the relationship between menopausal stage and dense-breast prevalence in midlife women while considering a possible effect modification of being overweight. The present cross-sectional study comprised 82,677 Korean women, aged 35&ndash, 65 years, who attended a screening exam. Menopausal stages were categorized based on the Stages of Reproductive Aging Workshop (STRAW + 10) criteria. Mammographic breast density was categorized according to Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System (BI-RADS). Dense breasts were defined as BI-RADS Breast Density category D (extremely dense). The prevalence of dense breasts decreased as menopausal stage increased (p-trend &lt, 0.001), and this pattern was pronounced in overweight women than non-overweight women (p-interaction = 0.016). Compared with pre-menopause, the multivariable-adjusted prevalence ratios (and 95% confidence intervals) for dense breasts were 0.98 (0.96&ndash, 1.00) in early transition, 0.89 (0.86&ndash, 0.92) in late transition, and 0.55 (0.52&ndash, 0.59) in post-menopause, among non-overweight women, while corresponding prevalence ratios were 0.92 (0.87&ndash, 0.98), 0.83 (0.77&ndash, 0.90) and 0.36 (0.31&ndash, 0.41) among overweight women. The prevalence of dense breasts was inversely associated with increasing menopausal stages and significantly decreased from the late menopausal transition, with stronger declines among overweight women.

Background The risk of breast cancer related to changes in breast density over time, including its regression and persistence, remains controversial. The authors investigated the relationship between breast density and its changes over time with the development of breast cancer in premenopausal and postmenopausal women. Methods The current cohort study included 74,249 middle-aged Korean women (aged ≥35 years) who were free of breast cancer at baseline and who underwent repeated screening mammograms. Mammographic breast density was categorized according to the American College of Radiology Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System (BI-RADS). A dense breast was defined as heterogeneously dense or extremely dense, and changes in dense breasts between baseline and subsequent follow-up were classified as none, developed, regressed, or persistent dense breast. Results During a median follow-up of 6.1 years (interquartile range, 4.1-8.8 years), a total of 803 incident breast cancers were identified. Baseline breast density was found to be positively associated with incident breast cancer in a dose-response manner, and this association did not significantly differ by menopausal status. The multivariable-adjusted hazard ratios (HRs) for breast cancer comparing "heterogeneously dense" and "extremely dense" categories with the nondense category were 1.96 (95% confidence interval [95% CI], 1.40-2.75) and 2.86 (95% CI, 2.04-4.01), respectively. With respect to changes in dense breasts over time, multivariable-adjusted HRs for breast cancer comparing persistent dense breast with none were 2.37 (95% CI, 1.34-4.21) in premenopausal women and 3.61 (95% CI, 1.78-7.30) in postmenopausal women. Conclusions Both baseline dense breasts and their persistence over time were found to be strongly associated with an increased risk of incident breast cancer in premenopausal and postmenopausal women. Lay summary Both baseline breast density and its changes over time were found to be independently associated with the risk of breast cancer in both premenopausal and postmenopausal women. The risk of incident breast cancer increased in women with persistent dense breasts, whereas the breast cancer risk decreased as dense breasts regressed. The findings of the current study support that both dense breasts at baseline and their persistence over time are independent risk factors for developing breast cancer.

Purpose Several studies have reported the plausible association of neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) with the prognosis of papillary thyroid cancer (PTC), but the results are inconsistent. In PTC, chronic inflammation is closely related to tumor progression, and the age of the patient has a great influence on prognosis. Therefore, considering the changes in the immune system with aging, we classified the patients according to age and assessed the prognostic value of individual hematologic parameters. Methods This retrospective analysis included 1,921 patients who underwent thyroidectomy for PTC. Patients were divided into 2 groups based on their age: Y-group (age < 45) and O-group (age ≥ 45). Blood counts were measured within 14 days before surgery. Results The Y-group consisted of 914 patients aged < 45 years and the O-group consisted of 932 patients aged ≥ 45. In both groups, the common prognostic factors related to disease recurrence were only 6 or more metastatic lymph node and grossly extrathyroidal extension, and hematologic parameters were different between the 2 groups. High Platelet-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) in the Y-group and high NLR in the O-group were identified as independent predictors of disease recurrence (NLR: hazard ratio [HR], 3.28; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.23-8.73; P = 0.018; PLR: HR, 3.08; 95% CI, 1.26-7.52; P = 0.014). Conclusion The results suggest that changes in immunity with aging may affect prognosis in patients with PTC, and thus hematologic parameters might be employed as prognostic markers depending on the age of the patients.

The aim of this study is to compare the feasibility and oncologic safety of Single-incision, gasless, Endoscopic trans-axillary bilateral Total thyroidectomy (SET) with open cervical total thyroidectomy in patients with papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC).From March 2008 to December 2012, PTC patients underwent bilateral total thyroidectomy. Conventional, open surgery was performed on 538 patients (Group O) and endoscopic surgery was performed on 200 patients (Group E). We analyzed the patient's clinicopathologic, postoperative complications, and surgical completeness.The mean ages of the patients were 48.9 ± 0.5 (range = 24-77) in Group O and 39.5 ± 0.8 (range = 17-73) in Group E with statistical significance (P .001). Percentage of female patients were 74.3% in Group O and 96.0% in Group E with statistical significance (P .001). The postoperative hospital stay in Group O was significantly longer than Group E (4.60 ± 0.05 versus 3.30 ± 0.05; P .001). The operation time in Group E was significantly longer than Group O (93.9 ± 1.3 versus 142.6 ± 3.3; P .001). More transient hypocalcemia was found in Group O compared to Group E with statistical significance (28.1% versus 22.4%; P .001). There were no significant differences with respect to permanent hypocalcemia, permanent recurrent laryngeal nerve palsy, seroma, and hematoma. The mean 1 year-stimulated sTg was 0.23 ± 0.03 and 0.18 ± 0.02 in Group O and E, respectively. Tumor recurrence during short-term follow-up at neck ultrasonography (1 year) was detected in 4 patients in Group O.SET is safe and effective, not only for low-risk patients with early-detected cancer, but also for selected cases of advanced cancer.

Purpose The incidence of thyroid cancer is relatively high, especially in young women, and postoperative scarring after thyroidectomy is an important problem for both patients and clinicians. Currently, there is no available product that can be used for wound protection during thyroid surgery. We used the EASY-EYE_C, a new silicone-based wound protector. Methods We conducted a double-blind randomized controlled trial to assess the efficacy of the EASY-EYE_C with surgical scars. We studied 66 patients who underwent conventional total thyroidectomy or hemithyroidectomy performed by a single surgeon from August 2015 to June 2016. At 6-week follow-up, a single blinded physician observed the wounds to make clinical assessments using the Patient and Observer Scar Assessment Scale (POSAS), the Vancouver Scar Scale (VSS), and a modified Stony Brook Scar Evaluation Scale (SBSES). Results There were no significant differences by sex, age, type of surgery, body mass index, length of wound, incision site (from sternal notch), or thyroid weight, but the duration of operation was significantly shorter in the experimental group (E group). The e-group also had better POSAS scores than the control group (C group), with means of 43.2 (standard deviation [SD], ±15.9) versus 68.3 (SD, ±21.5), respectively (P < 0.05). The modified SBSES and VSS scores were similar to those from the POSAS. Conclusion In this study, all scores for evaluating outcomes were higher in the E group than in the C group. In addition, the operation time was significantly shorter in the E group. Therefore, the EASY-EYE_C may be useful for improving the cosmetic outcomes of conventional thyroid surgery.

The aim of this study was to determine the feasibility of image-guided marker-clip placement in axillary lymph nodes (ALNs) for breast cancer upon initial presentation and to assess the reliability of this method with sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) for axillary restaging after neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC). Between June 2015 and August 2016, a marker clip was placed at a clinically positive ALN under ultrasonography (US) guidance before initiation of NAC in 20 patients. Preoperative localization of marker-clipped LNs was performed, and the localized LNs were removed by SLNB. We compared the postoperative results of the marker-clipped LNs, SLNs and ALNs. Image-guided marker-clip placements and localization of marker-clipped LNs were performed successfully in 20 patients. A total of 24 marker clips were inserted, and 23 marker-clipped LNs were successfully retrieved during surgery (identification rate, 23/24, 95.8%). In the 11 patients with pathologically confirmed metastatic marker-clipped LNs, four became negative after NAC, and seven maintained metastatic residues on the marker-clipped LNs. Three of the seven patients had metastatic residues on the ALNs, and two of the three patients also had negative SLNs. Marker-clipped nodes accurately predicted the axillary nodal status in these two patients compared with SLNs alone. Image-guided marker-clip placement on positive ALNs before NAC and removal with SLNB is technically feasible. This technique can improve the accuracy of the residual disease evaluation on the axilla, especially in patients with negative SLNB results, and can identify candidates for limited axillary surgery after NAC.

Background In patients diagnosed with ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) with needle biopsy before surgery, invasive component (IC) is often found in the postoperative tissue, which results in altered post-surgical care. However, there are no clinically available factors to predict IC, and few MRI studies are available for the detection of IC in DCIS patients. The purpose of this study was to evaluate which risk factors can predict IC preoperatively. Methods Patients with a DCIS diagnosis based on preoperative biopsy, who underwent breast surgery Kangbuk Samsung Hospital between Jan 2005 and June 2018, were retrospectively evaluated. Clinico-pathological and breast MRI factors were compared between DCIS and DCIS with IC in postsurgical specimens. Results Of the 431 patients with a preoperative diagnosis of DCIS, 34 (7.9%) showed IC during the postoperative pathological investigations, and 217 (50.3%) underwent breast MRI. Among MRI-related factors, Mass-like enhancement on MRI was the sole but significant predictor of IC (HR = 0.26, C.I. = 0.07–0.93, p = 0.038), while nipple-areolar complex invasion, enhancement peak and pattern were not statistically significant. Nuclear grade was the only significant predictor of IC in the analysis of other clinico-pathological factors (HR = 2.39, C.I. = 1.05–5.42, p = 0.038 in univariate analysis, HR = 2.86, C.I. = 1.14–7.14, p = 0.025 in multivariate analysis). Conclusions Mass-like enhancement on MRI and high nuclear grade were associated with IC in patients with preoperative diagnosis of DCIS. Considering the high sensitivity of breast MRI for IC, further evaluation of the predictive value of MRI in preoperative DCIS patients is desirable.

Background: Lateral lymph node metastasis (LNM), which significantly impacts papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) patients’ prognosis, occurs not uncommonly in papillary thyroid microcarcinoma (PTMC). PTMC is known to have a much better prognosis than non-PTMC, but it has not been known whether there is such a difference even with lateral LNM. Methods: This retrospective study included a series of 3336 consecutive PTC patients who underwent thyroidectomy. Of them, 206 had lateral LNM and were divided into the PTMC and non-PTMC groups by tumor size (1-cm) for comparing the prevalence of prognostic factors. Results: LNM was in 157/1131 (13.9%) non-PTMC patients and 49/2205 (2.2%) PTMC patients. Eleven of the 206 (5.3%) lateral LNM cases not found on US were only seen on computed tomography. The prevalence of prognostic factors which include an age of >55 years, >5 metastatic lymph nodes (LNs), high metastatic-to-examined LN ratio, and large metastatic LNs (>3 cm) were not significantly different between PTMC and non PTMC group. Conclusions: In PTC with lateral LNM, the prognosis is likely to be similar regardless of tumor size. Considering the modest risk of lateral LNM in PTMC, FNA and detailed radiologic for small tumor should be encouraged.

Aims Breast cancers are heterogeneous, making it essential to recognise several biomarkers for cancer outcome predictions. Ki67 proliferation index and B cell lymphoma 2 (BCL2) proteins are widely used as prognostic indicators in many types of malignancies. While Ki67 is a marker of normal or tumour cell proliferation, BCL2 plays a central role in antiproliferative activities. A combination of these two biomarkers with contrary purposes can provide enhanced prognostic accuracy than an analysis using a single biomarker. Methods We evaluated Ki67 and BCL2 expression with 203 cases of breast cancer. The relative expression of each biomarker named as Ki67/BCL2 index was divided into two groups (low vs high) with the use of area under receiver operating characteristic curves. Results There were significant correlations between Ki67/BCL2 index and clinicopathological findings such as age, tumour stage, size and necrosis, histological grade, extensive intraductal component, lymphatic and vascular invasion, oestrogen receptor, progesterone receptor, human epithelial growth factor receptor 2 and p53 expression (all p Conclusions The Ki67/BCL2 index should be considered as a prognostic predictor in patients with early stage invasive ductal carcinoma.

Purpose In this trial, we investigated the efficacy and safety of adjuvant letrozole for hormone receptor (HR)-positive breast cancer. Here, we report the clinical outcome in postmenopausal women with HR-positive breast cancer treated with adjuvant letrozole according to estrogen receptor (ER) expression levels. Methods In this multi-institutional, open-label, observational study, postmenopausal patients with HR-positive breast cancer received adjuvant letrozole (2.5 mg/daily) for 5 years unless they experienced disease progression or unacceptable toxicity or withdrew their consent. The patients were stratified into the following 3 groups according to ER expression levels using a modified Allred score (AS): low, intermediate, and high (AS 3-4, 5-6, and 7-8, respectively). ER expression was centrally reviewed. The primary objective was the 5-year disease-free survival (DFS) rate. Results Between April 25, 2010, and February 5, 2014, 440 patients were enrolled. With a median follow-up of 62.0 months, the 5-year DFS rate in all patients was 94.2% (95% confidence interval [CI], 91.8-96.6). The 5-year DFS and recurrence-free survival (RFS) rates did not differ according to ER expression; the 5-year DFS rates were 94.3% and 94.1%in the low-to-intermediate and high expression groups, respectively (p = 0.6), and the corresponding 5-year RFS rates were 95.7% and 95.4%, respectively (p = 0.7). Furthermore, 25 patients discontinued letrozole because of drug toxicity. Conclusion Treatment with adjuvant letrozole showed very favorable treatment outcomes and good tolerability among Korean postmenopausal women with ER-positive breast cancer, independent of ER expression. Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT01069211.

AIM To assess the predictive value of preoperative residual mammographic microcalcifications for residual tumours after neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) for breast cancer. MATERIALS AND METHODS This single-centre retrospective study included breast cancer patients who underwent NAC and demonstrated suspicious microcalcifications within or near the tumour bed on mammography from June 2015 to August 2018. The residual microcalcifications and remnant lesion on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) were correlated with histopathological findings of residual tumours and immunohistochemical markers. RESULTS A total of 96 patients were included. Ten patients achieved pathological complete response (pCR) and previous suspicious microcalcifications were associated with benign pathology in 10.4% (10/96) of the patients. In the remaining 86 patients who did not achieve pCR, 61.5% (59/96) of the residual microcalcifications were associated with invasive or in situ carcinoma and 28.1% (27/96) with benign pathology. Hormone receptor-positive (HR+) patients had the highest proportion of residual malignant microcalcifications compared to HR− patients (48.9% versus 13.5%, respectively; p=0.019). MRI correlated better than residual microcalcifications on mammography in predicting residual tumour extent in all subtypes (ICC=0.709 versus 0.365). MRI also showed higher correlation with residual tumour size for the HR−/HER2+ and HR−/HER2- subtype (ICC=0.925 and 0.876, respectively). CONCLUSION The extent of microcalcifications on mammography after NAC did not correlate with the extent of residual cancer in 38.5% of women. Regardless of the extent of microcalcifications, residual tumour extent on MRI after NAC and molecular subtype could be an accurate tool in evaluating residual cancer after NAC.

Purpose This study aimed to compare the diagnostic performance of contrast-enhanced digital mammography (CEDM) and contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (CEMRI) in preoperative evaluations, and to evaluate the effect of each modality on the surgical management of women with breast cancer. Methods This single-center, prospective study was approved by the Institutional Review Board, and informed consent was obtained from all patients. From November 2016 to October 2017, 84 patients who were diagnosed with invasive carcinoma (69/84) and ductal carcinoma in situ (15/84), and underwent both CEDM and CEMRI, were enrolled. Imaging findings and surgical management were correlated with pathological results and compared. The diagnostic performance of both modalities in the detection of index and secondary cancers (multifocality and multicentricity), and occult cancer in the contralateral breast, was compared. The authors also evaluated whether CEDM or CEMRI resulted in changes in the surgical management of the affected breast due to imaging-detected findings. Results Eighty-four women were included in the analysis. Compared with CEMRI, CEDM demonstrated a similar sensitivity (92.9% [78/84] vs. 95.2% [80/84]) in detecting index cancer (p=0.563). For the detection of secondary cancers in the ipsilateral breast and occult cancer in the contralateral breast, no significant differences were found between CEDM and CEMRI (p=0.999 and p=0.999, respectively). Regarding changes in surgical management, CEDM resulted in similar changes compared with CEMRI (30.9% [26/84] vs. 29.7% [25/84], p=0.610). Regarding changes in surgical management due to false-positive findings, no significant differences were found between CEDM and CEMRI (34.6% [9/26] vs. 44.0% [11/25], p=0.782). Conclusion CEDM demonstrated a diagnostic performance comparable with CEMRI in depicting index cancers, secondary cancers, and occult cancer in the contralateral breast. CEDM demonstrated similar changes in surgical management compared with CEMRI.

Background Carcinogenesis and tumor growth are associated with chronic inflammation and the host immune system. Here, we investigated the clinical significance and relationship between tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) and hematologic parameters in patients with breast cancer. Methods Invasive ductal breast cancer patients (N = 145) who underwent surgery were retrospectively evaluated. Samples were obtained using a core needle biopsy for CD8+, FOXP3+ TIL assessment. Blood lymphocytes, neutrophils, monocytes, and platelets were obtained by peripheral venous punctures. Results CD8 + TILs were significantly associated with absolute lymphocyte count (ALC) and the absolute monocyte count (AMC). Low LMR (ALC/AMC) (cut-off - 5.3, range = 0.73–12.31) was associated with poor overall survival (OS) (p = 0.010), disease-free survival (DFS) (p = 0.005). However, in subgroup analysis, LMR did not have any value as a prognostic factor in HER2-positive breast cancers. TILs had different prognostic impacts across breast cancer subtypes, although they were not statistically significant. The treatment response after NAC tended to improve in breast cancer patients with high FOXP3+ TILs, low NLR (neutrophil count/ALC) (FOXP3 p for trend = 0.006, NLR p for trend = 0.063). Conclusions A relevance between TILs and hematologic parameters in breast cancer was demonstrated. The influence of the immune system on breast cancer progression may differ by subtype. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s12885-018-4832-5) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

GATA3 and fascin proteins are known prognostic markers in several cancers. GATA3 is a key regulator of mammary gland morphogenesis and luminal cell differentiation, whereas fascin is a pro-metastatic actin-bundling protein. In this study, we analyzed and compared the predictive abilities of GATA3 and fascin for clinical outcomes of patients with breast cancer. The combined expression pattern based on GATA3-/+ and fascin-/+ was evaluated by immunostaining using a tissue microarray, and relationships between protein expression and several clinicopathological parameters were analyzed. GATA3 expression was associated with good prognostic parameters, but fascin was correlated with poor prognostic parameters. On comparing GATA3 and fascin, we found an inverse relationship between fascin and GATA3 expressions. On analysis of combined markers, GATA3+/fascin- was correlated with improved clinical outcomes compared to GATA3-/fascin+. Univariate and multivariate analyses revealed significant differences in relapse-free and overall survival between GATA3+/fascin- and GATA3-/fascin+. Combined marker analysis of GATA3/fascin showed an inverse association and improved prognostic information for patients with breast cancer.

Purpose: The purpose of the current study was to evaluate the usefulness of second-look ultrasonography (US) for evaluating incidental enhancing lesions identified on preoperative breast magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) performed to stage malignant lesions. Methods: We studied 88 patients with suspected breast malignancy on conventional mammography and/or whole-breast US and invasive carcinoma subsequently confirmed by cytology or core biopsy, who underwent preoperative breast MRI for accurate breast cancer staging between January 2011 and July 2014. Patients’ demographic, clinical and pathological characteristics were assessed. Results: Seven hundred fortynine patients underwent preoperative breast MRI, and the imaging detected incidental enhancing lesions in 257 patients. Second-look US was performed to evaluate 126 incidental enhancing lesions in 88 patients. We evaluated the frequency of malignancy as a function of lesion size on MRI, lesion size on second-look US, menstrual status, and age. The frequency of malignancy was higher for lesions 0.6 cm or larger on MRI than for smaller lesions (25.9% vs. 0%), and this difference was statistically significant (p=0.032). Conclusion: In conclusion, we found that the frequency of malignancy increased with the size of incidental enhancing lesions detected by MRI. On the basis of our results, biopsy is warranted in cases of incidental enhancing lesions 0.6 cm or larger on MRI. Further study with a larger series of cases and including more detailed subgroup analyses is necessary to develop reliable management guidelines for these lesions.

Brachyury is a T-box transcription factor characterized as a driver of the epithelial-to-mesenchymal process, which is associated with poor prognosis of patients with breast cancer. The present study investigated expression of brachyury in breast cancer including primary tumor, metastatic and recurred tumor tissues, and the clinical significance and value of brachyury as a prognostic biomarker. This retrospective study included a series of 102 consecutive patients surgically resected between January 2005 and December 2011. Brachyury expression in tumor cell was evaluated using immunohistochemistry and scored as the immunoactivity. Of 102 patients, 62 primary tumors were positive for brachyury expression and 40 were negative. Multivariate analysis of disease-free survival (DFS) revealed brachyury expression, HER2 and lymphovascular invasion as independent prognostic factors [brachyury negative vs. positive hazard ratio (HR), 3.0; P=0.024; HER2 negative vs. positive HR, 4.9; P=0.003; lymphovascular invasion absent vs. present HR, 3.5; P=0.020]. These results were particularly observed in triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC), no recurrence or mortality occurred in brachyury negative group during the follow-up period, and therefore a significantly improved prognosis was demonstrated in these patients compared with the brachyury positive group [overall survival (OS), P=0.022; DFS, P=0.002]. Brachyury expression in metastatic lymph node/recurred tumors was not significantly associated with prognosis (OS, P=0.745; DFS, P=0.189). Therefore, Brachyury expression in primary tumor independently is a potential predictor of poor prognosis, particularly in TNBC, where it appears to serve a crucial function in recurrence and mortality. Brachyury vaccines under clinical trials are likely to be useful in patients with breast cancer.

The role of androgen receptor (AR) as a prognostic marker has been proposed in breast cancer. This study investigated AR status and its clinical significance in breast cancer, especially in triple negative breast cancer (TNBC). We also evaluated discordant AR status during the process of lymph node metastasis, locoregional recurrences (LRR) and distant metastasis. From January 2005 to December 2010, we retrospectively reviewed 120 patients including 55 TNBC patients diagnosed as invasive carcinoma with no special type (NST), who were treated at the Kangbuk Samsung Hospital. Tissue microarray was constructed and immunohistochemical expression of AR was performed for 120 invasive carcinomas, NST specimens and matching samples from 28 lymph node metastasis, 2 LRR and 8 distant metastases. AR expression was found in 35.0% (42/120) of the total patients and 14.5% (8/55) of those diagnosed as TNBC. Positive expression of AR was significantly correlated with smaller tumor size, early T stage, fewer lymph node metastases, early AJCC stage, lower histologic grade, estrogen receptor/progesterone receptor positivity, more luminal A type, less TNBC, longer disease-free survival and overall survival, fewer distant metastasis and no deaths from breast cancer (all P < 0.05). AR was a favorable prognostic marker for disease free survival in univariate analysis (P = 0.041). The discordance rate of AR status between primary and recurrent/metastatic disease was 21.6%. AR expression was associated with favorable clinicopathological outcomes in the whole study population. AR status can be altered during tumor progression.

Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) are matrix-degrading enzymes that play a pivotal role in aggressive behaviours, such as rapid tumour growth, invasion, and metastasis, of several types of solid tumours. In particular, stromal MMP-2 plays important roles in the progression of malignant tumours, but most clinical studies have focused on tumoural MMP-2 and -9 expression, and not stromal MMP-2 expression. One hundred and seventy-seven cases diagnosed as invasive ductal carcinoma of the breast between 2000 and 2005 were included in this study. Expressions of tumoural MMP-2 and -9 and stromal MMP-2 were analysed by immunostaining on a tissue microarray. Subsequently, the associations between those results and various clinicopathological parameters were evaluated. Stromal MMP-2 expression correlated significantly with clinicopathological parameters such as advanced T category, larger tumour size, high histological grade, tumour necrosis, ER- and PR-negative, and HER-2-positive (all p < 0.05). In univariate and multivariate analyses, overall survival was linked with stromal MMP-2 expression as well as dual expression of stromal MMP-2 and tumoural MMP-2 and -9 (all p < 0.05). Stromal MMP-2 expression may play a crucial role in predicting aggressive clinical behaviour in breast cancer patients.

Cullin 1 (Cul1) is a rigid scaffold protein of a major class of E3 ubiquitin ligase, also known as the Skp1/cullin1/F-box (SCF) complex, which is involved in cell-cycle progression. The aberrant expression of Cul1 is involved in the dysfunction of SCF E3 ligase. Previous studies have revealed an association between increased Cul1 expression and tumor progression and poor outcome in several different tumors. We constructed a tissue microarray containing 103 papillary carcinoma tissues of the thyroid and 66 normal thyroid tissues. Cul1 expression and Cyclin D1 expression were evaluated by immunohistochemistry staining, and the relationship between their expression and clinicopathological parameters were analyzed. Cytoplasmic expression of Cul1 was correlated with tumor occurrence (p < 0.001), N stage (p = 0.027), and Cyclin D1 expression (p < 0.001). Cyclin D1 expression showed a correlation with tumor occurrence (p < 0.001) and T stage (p = 0.009). On the other hand, nuclear expression of Cul1 showed a negative correlation with tumor occurrence (p < 0.001) and Cyclin D1 expression (p < 0.001). Cytoplasmic Cul1 expression was associated with tumor development and higher nodal metastasis status, supporting the idea that the SCF complex is involved in cell-cycle regulation and promotes cell proliferation. Nuclear expression of Cul1 showed inverse relationship between tumor aggressiveness factors. Our data suggest that the expression site of Cul1 may affect the function of the SFC complex and play a role in tumor progression.

Background To better define the prognostic role of nodal disease, evaluation of metastatic lymph node ratio (MLR) has been performed, and this method has recently gained prominence in various gastrointestinal cancers. The present study attempts to identify prognostic factors and evaluate the independent prognostic influence of MLR in patients who have undergone curative pancreaticoduodenectomy. Methods In our institution within the study period, 111 patients received curative pancreaticoduodenectomy for periampullary cancers. Clinicopathologic data were collected and MLR was calculated for each of the patients. Patients were then divided into four groups based on MLR value: MLR 1 = 0; MLR 2 = 0.01–0.2; MLR 3 0.21–0.4; and MLR 4 >0.4. Results Increasing MLR correlates with high recurrence rate and lower overall survival (OS) with significance (P < 0.001, P < 0.001). The recurrent group showed significantly lower OS than the non-recurrent group (P < 0.001). In the multivariate analysis for recurrence, MLR was identified as the only independent prognostic factor (P < 0.001). Conclusions The simple and easily obtainable MLR is well qualified as a prognostic factor in patients who undergo curatively radical resection for periampullary cancer. Furthermore, MLR can overcome the limitations of evaluation of lymph nodes status, allowing it to be used as a potential prognostic factor.

Purpose: The measurement of serum thyroglobulin (Tg) of papillary thyroid carcinoma patients, 12 months after total thyroidectomy and radioactive iodine (RAI) ablation following thyroxine hormone withdrawal (T4-off Tg) or recombinant human thyroid-stimulating hormone stimulation (rhTSH-Tg), is standard method for monitoring disease status. The aim of this study was to find predictive factors for detectable T4-off Tg during follow-up. Methods: A retrospective review was conducted of 329 patients who underwent total thyroidectomy and RAI ablation between October 2008 and August 2012. Subjects were assigned to high (>1 ng/mL, n = 53) and low (≤1 ng/mL, n = 276)groups, based on T4-off Tg measured 12 months postoperatively. Demographic and clinicopathological characteristics at diagnosis and follow-up were compared between the 2 groups. Results: The low and high T4-off Tg groups differed with respect to tumor size, preoperative Tg, ablative Tg, cervical lymph node metastasis, thyroglobulinemia out of proportion to results of diagnostic whole body scan, and American Thyroid Association 3-level stratification and restratification. Multivariate analysis confirmed that ablative Tg > 1.0 ng/mL (odds ratio [OR], 10.801; P = 0.001), more than 5 cervical lymph node metastasis (OR, 6.491; P = 0.003), and thyroglobulinemia out of proportion (OR, 9.221; P = 0.000) were risk factors. Conclusion: Ablative Tg >1.0 ng/mL, more than 5 cervical lymph node metastasis, and thyroglobulinemia out of proportion were independent factors for T4-off Tg >1 ng/mL 12 months postoperative. In low-risk patients without these risk factors, the possible omission of Tg measurements could be considered during follow-up.

Purpose The aim of this study was to compare postoperative pain between single-incision, gasless, endoscopic transaxillary thyroidectomy (SET), and conventional open thyroidectomy. Methods From March to December 2015, patients with thyroid disease underwent total thyroidectomy or lobectomy. Patient's clinical and pathological characteristics, postoperative pain score using visual analog scale (VAS) were compared between the 2 groups. The primary endpoint was postoperative pain evaluated by VAS score and postoperative analgesic use. Operation time and length of postoperative hospital stay were secondary outcome measures. Results Conventional, open cervical surgery was performed on 30 patients (group O) and SET was performed on 27 patients (group E). Pain scores in shoulder area, which is the ipsilateral side of the tumor location at 1 hour and 24 hours after surgery, were higher in group E patients (P < 0.05). Pain scores 7 days after surgery did not differ between the 2 groups according to the locations (P < 0.05). Conclusion In conclusion, endocrine surgeons should be concerned about immediate higher postoperative pain scores in patients who undergo SET.

Background: Smad4 and GATA3 proteins are known prognostic markers in various cancers. Smad4 is a mediator linked to both tumour suppression and progression. GATA3 is a regulator of development and morphogenesis of the mammary gland. We assessed and compared the predictive performance of Smad4 and GATA3 for clinical outcomes in patients with breast cancer. Methods: The combined expression pattern based on Smad4+/- and GATA3+/- was evaluated by immunostaining using breast cancer tissue microarray, and the relationships between protein expression and clinicopathological variables were analysed. Results: Smad4 expression was only associated with an ill-defined tumour border, whereas GATA3 was associated with several good prognostic factors. On analysis of combined markers, there was a significant difference in the expression of fascin (an important factor for cancer invasiveness) between the Smad4+/GATA3- and Smad4-/GATA3+ groups. Smad4+/GATA3- was correlated with worse clinicopathological parameters, relapse-free survival (RFS), and overall survival (OS), compared to Smad4-/GATA3+. Conclusion: Combined markers of Smad4/GATA3 showed a superior performance compared to single markers for predicting RFS and OS in patients with breast cancer.

This survey was performed to analyze the usability of the third edition of the Korean breast cancer clinical practice guidelines (KBCCPG) in clinical practice. We made a questionnaire composed of 18 general and 82 specific questions regarding benign breast disease (B; 1 question); non-invasive disease (N; 12 questions); early-stage disease (E; 26 questions); advanced disease (A; 24 questions); and metastatic (M) breast cancer-related problems (19 questions). A total of 100 questionnaires, with a link to an online survey, were delivered via e-mail to over 700 members of the Korean Breast Cancer Society (KBCS), and associated academy members, over 20 days between 26th February and 16th May 2010. Out of 270 respondents who read the e-mail, 96 answered the questionnaire. Participants included 87 surgical oncologists, 5 radiation oncologists, 2 oncoplastic surgeons, 1 pathologist, and 1 medical oncologist. The third KBCCPG were perceived as differing from the second guidelines in terms of the level of clinical evidence required before choosing a recommendation. For the progress of the KBCCPG, the guideline committee should try to reinforce all courses of guideline development with several elements including data from clinical trials of Korean breast cancer patients, securing a multidisciplinary approach, developing consistent and reasonable processes for each step of the revision of the guidelines, induction of liberal scientific and ethical discussion about all issues with all KBCS members. The cost-effectiveness of healthcare and the logical development of the KBCCPG would also be ensured. Timely updates of the clinical guidelines for breast cancer treatment are essential to facilitate optimal decision-making in daily practice, and to ensure adequate patient feedback.

A standard procedure for single-port laparoscopic adrenal surgery has not been established. We retrospectively investigated intraoperative and postoperative outcomes after laparoscopic adrenalectomy through mono port (LAMP) and conventional laparoscopic adrenalectomy to assess the feasibility of LAMP. Between March 2008 and December 2009, 22 patients underwent adrenalectomy at the Department of Surgery, Kangbuk Samsung Hospital. Twelve patients underwent conventional laparoscopic adrenalectomy and 10 patients underwent LAMP. The same surgeon performed all the surgeries. The 2 procedures were compared in terms of tumor size, operating time, time to resumption of a soft diet, length of hospital day, and postoperative complications. The 2 groups were similar in terms of tumor size (30.08 vs. 32.50 mm, P=0.796), mean operating time (112.9 vs. 127 min, P=0.316), time to resumption of a soft diet (1.25 vs. 1.30 d, P=0.805), and length of hospital day (4.08 vs. 4.50 d, P=0.447). Despite 1 patient in the LAMP group experiencing ipsilateral pleural effusion as a postoperative complication, this parameter was similar for the 2 groups (P=0.195). Perioperative mortality, blood transfusion, and conversion to open surgery did not occur. Perioperative outcomes for LAMP were similar to those for conventional laparoscopic adrenalectomy. LAMP appears to be a feasible option for adrenalectomy.

BACKGROUND Surgical scars are a common cosmetic problem that occurs in various surgical fields including dermatology. Diverse trials have been made to prevent this annoying scar formation. Recently, 585- and 595-nm pulsed dye laser irradiation presented satisfactory cosmetic outcome for the treatment of surgical scars. Other fractionated lasers or light devices were also applied for scar treatment. OBJECTIVE To determine the effectiveness and safety of a newly developed 1,550-nm fractional erbium–glass laser in the prevention of scar formation after total thyroidectomy. MATERIALS AND METHODS Twenty-seven ethnic South Korean patients with linear surgical suture lines after total thyroidectomy operation were treated with a 1,550-nm fractional erbium–glass laser. The same surgeon performed all of the operations using the same surgical techniques. Each patient was treated four times at 1-month intervals using the same parameters (5- × 10-mm spot size, 10 mJ, 1,500 spot/cm2, static mode). Initiation of the first irradiation was made approximately 2 to 3 weeks after the thyroidectomy. The scar prevention effects were evaluated each month for 6 months after thyroidectomy. Two kinds of assessment methods were applied in this evaluation. First, the Vancouver Scar Scale (VSS) was used. Second, three independent physicians gave a global assessment valuation to the final cosmetic results: poor (1), fair (2), good (3), or excellent (4). These results were compared with the surgical scars of a control group (patients who denied laser treatments and had no other treatments during the 6 months after total thyroidectomy by the same surgeon). RESULTS The average VSS score was lower in the laser treatment group. The global assessment also presented better cosmetic outcomes in the treatment group than in the controls. CONCLUSION A new 1,550-nm fractional erbium–glass laser may efficiently repress the formation and hypertrophy of thyroidectomy scars on the neck, and it can be safely applied in relatively dark Asian skin without noticeable adverse effects. CONCLUSION The authors have indicated no significant interest with commercial supporters.

Purpose In the present study, we evaluated the levels of urokinase-type plasminogen activator (uPA) and plasminogen activator inhibitor 1 (PAI-1) by performing immunohistochemical staining to determine whether they were reliable prognostic markers in patients with breast cancer. Methods Demographic and clinicopathological parameters of 214 patients with invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC) and 80 patients with ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) who were diagnosed and treated from 2006 to 2010 were analyzed. Tissue microarray was constructed and immunohistochemical staining was performed for each specimen. Results Univariate analyses showed that age at diagnosis, history of hormone replacement therapy, radiation therapy, skin and chest wall invasion, Paget disease, lymphovascular invasion, estrogen receptor positivity, and triple-negative subtype were significantly associated with patient prognosis (p

Purpose We investigated the feasibility of using surgical clips as markers for tumor localization and their effect on the imaging evaluation of treatment responses after neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC). Methods A total of 16 breast cancers confirmed by needle biopsy in 15 patients were included in this study from October 2012 to June 2014. Under ultrasonography (US)-guidance, the surgical clips were placed prior to NAC. Additional mammography, breast US, and breast magnetic resonance examinations were performed within 10 days before surgery. The time period from marker insertion to operation date was documented. Images acquired via the three modalities were evalu-ated for the following parameters: location of clip, clip migration (>1 cm), the presence of complications from clip placement, and the effect of clips on the assessment of treatment. Results The mean time period was 128.6±34.4 days (median, 132.0 days) from the date of clip insertion to the date of surgery. The mean number of inserted clips was 2.3±0.7 (median, 2.0). Clip migration was not visualized by imaging in any patient, and there were no complications reported. Surgical clips did not negatively affect the assessment of treatment responses to NAC. Conclusion Surgical clips may replace commercial tissue markers for tumor localization in breast cancer patients undergoing NAC without migration. Surgical clips are well tolerated and safe for the patient, easily visualized on imaging, do not interfere with treatment response, and are cost-effective.

Introduction.Several studies have shown the feasibility and safety of both transperitoneal and posterior retroperitoneal approaches for single incision laparoscopic adrenalectomy, but none have compared the outcomes according to the left- or right-sided location of the adrenal glands.Materials and Methods.From 2009 to 2013, 89 patients who received LAMP (laparoscopic adrenalectomy through mono port) were analyzed. The surgical outcomes attained using the transperitoneal approach (TPA) and posterior retroperitoneal approach (PRA) were analyzed and compared.Results and Discussion.On the right side, no significant differences were found between the LAMP-TPA and LAMP-PRA groups in terms of patient characteristics and clinicopathological data. However, outcomes differed in which LAMP-PRA group had a statistically significant shorter mean operative time (84.13 ± 41.47 min versus 116.84 ± 33.17 min;P=0.038), time of first oral intake (1.00 ± 0.00 days versus 1.21 ± 0.42 days;P=0.042), and length of hospitalization (2.17 ± 0.389 days versus 3.68 ± 1.38 days;P≤0.001), whereas in left-sided adrenalectomies LAMP-TPA had a statistically significant shorter mean operative time (83.85 ± 27.72 min versus 110.95 ± 29.31 min;P=0.002).Conclusions.We report that LAMP-PRA is more appropriate for right-sided laparoscopic adrenalectomies due to anatomical characteristics and better surgical outcomes. For left-sided laparoscopic adrenalectomies, however, we propose LAMP-TPA as a more suitable method.

Purpose We compared the abilities of power and conventional color Doppler sonography to depict the vascularity of solid breast lesions and evaluated the usefulness of power Doppler sonography in differentiating between benign and malignant breast lesions. Methods One hundred two solid breast lesions (59 benign and 43 malignant lesions) were studied with power and color Doppler sonography. Power and color Doppler sonograms were retrospectively compared for the depiction of blood flow signals. Power Doppler images were also reviewed for the amount of Doppler signals, pattern of vascularity, and morphology of vessels. The sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of the 2 techniques were calculated. Results Compared with color Doppler sonography, power Doppler sonography depicted flow superiorly in 61 cases (60%) and equally in 41 cases (40%). On power Doppler sonography, the incidence of marked blood flow in malignant lesions (65%) was higher than that in benign lesions (39%). The pattern of vascularity was predominantly central (86%) and/or penetrating (65%) more often in malignant lesions than in benign lesions (51% and 34%, respectively). Branching (56%) and disordered vessels (42%) were seen more often in malignant lesions than in benign lesions (22% and 8%, respectively). The sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy in diagnosing malignancy were 64%, 76%, and 71%, respectively, for power Doppler sonography and 77%, 76%, and 76% for color Doppler sonography. Conclusions Power Doppler sonography was more sensitive than color Doppler sonography in the detection of flow in solid breast lesions. Although power Doppler sonography was not more effective in diagnosing malignant lesions, central and penetrating vascularity patterns and branching and disordered vessels seem to be helpful findings in predicting malignancy. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Clin Ultrasound 27:231–237, 1999.