The Role of Mammography in Asymptomatic High Risk Women in Mosul City

Abstract

Breast cancer is the most common carcinoma in women in the western world .Breast cancer is the leading cause of death in those aged 44-50years.This cross-sectional study was performed to evaluate the role of mammography in the detection of occult malignant breast lesions in high-risk women.The screened women were clinically asymptomatic for breast cancer.The study population was 238 high-risk women in Mosul city; over 13 months. The age range was (35-75) years; the mean age was (42.7 years) in (62.2%) of the total. Ten groups of high-risk women were identified:-Those with a previous history of modified radical mastectomy 89 (37.4)% , mammography was positive in eight cases (8.99%). Of those who have a positive family history of breast cancer in first-degree relatives 68 (28.7%), mammographically positive cases were six (8.8)%. For those with a positive family history of malignancy elsewhere in the body other than the breast 35 (14.8)%, mammography was positive in three (8.6%). Of those with conservative surgery for stage one breast cancer 19(7.98%) (4) cases (21.1%) three were mammographically positive (15.8%) in the ipsilateral breast, and one woman in her contralateral breast 5.3%. Nulliparous women about forty years old were 9 (3.8%), and only two were mammographically positive (22.2%).Patients who were subjected to surgery for ovarian tumors 8 (3.4%). Two were mammographically positive(25%). Patients with operations for benign ipsilateral breast lesions were five (2.1%), only one was mammographically positive (20%).Two obese ladies with bulky fatty breasts (0.84%), one of them was mammographically positive (50%). Patients with a history of hysterectomy for fibroids were 2(0.84%),only one was mammographically positive (50%).One woman 74 years old (0.42%) was mammographically positive (100%).Ultrasonography and mammography were performed for 387 breasts. The size of tumors detected was in the range of 4-10 millimeters with an average of 4.6millmeters.In conclusion, mammography is an X-ray picture of the breast and doctors use it for early screening programs for early detection of breast cancer, especially in high-risk women, sometimes two to three years before it can be felt.