Novel Breast Tissue Feature may Predict Woman’s Cancer Risk

	Tweet

Mayo Clinic researchers have found that certain structural features within breast tissue can indicate a woman’s individual cancer risk. The findings appear online today in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.

The study shows that acini (AS-ih-nye), the small milk-producing elements in breast lobules, can be counted in sample biopsies. The percentage of acini present per lobule at a given age indicates cancer risk. Researchers say this method is more accurate in predicting risk for an individual than the Gail model (see National Cancer Institute).

“Aside from the predictors of heredity, there is no effective independent predictor of risk of breast cancer,” says Lynn Hartmann, M.D., Mayo Clinic oncologist and senior author of the study. “This risk estimate model based on novel tissue in each individual may provide a reliable strategy.”

Researchers studied the tissue structures in 85 patients with breast cancer and examined earlier, noncancerous breast biopsies from the same women. 

They compared them to 142 age-controlled samples from Mayo’s Benign Breast Disease Cohort, a bio repository of benign biopsy tissues. Then, researchers developed the model and tested a risk prediction for each patient. For the same women, they used the existing Gail model to make five-year risk predictions for the same women. While helpful in determining increased risk in groups of women, the Gail model is only slightly better than a guess when it comes to predicting cancer for an individual, the researchers say.

“Women who were more likely to develop breast cancer had larger lobules with more acini,” explains Dr. Hartmann.

Significance of the Findings

As women age, especially as they approach menopause, the risk of breast cancer declines because the lobules and acini disappear. This natural process, called involution, is at the core of this risk factor. Dr. Hartmann says if the lobules aren’t largely gone by the time a woman is 55, her risk of breast cancer triples. By looking closely at the structures in a large sample of benign tissues, the researchers were able to note standard measurements for lobule size and number of acini in the lobules. This twofold approach led to development of accurate metrics on which to base individual risk. The team hopes this new model, combined with other patient information and assessments, will greatly improve a physician’s ability to predict cancer risk for individual patients.

Others on the research team are Kevin McKian, M.D.; Carol Reynolds, M.D.; Daniel Visscher, M.D.; Aziza Nassar, M.D.; Derek Radisky, Ph.D.; Robert Vierkant; Amy Degnim, M.D.; Judy Boughey, M.D.; Karthik Ghosh, M.D.; Stephanie Anderson; Douglas Minot; Jill Caudill; Celine Vachon, Ph.D.; Marlene Frost, Ph.D.; and V. Shane Pankratz, Ph.D.; all of Mayo Clinic. The research was supported by the Department of Defense, Martha and Bruce Atwater, the National Institutes of Health, and the Katherine B. Anderson Foundation.

Released: 9/29/2009 10:00 AM EDT
Embargo expired: 10/5/2009 4:00 PM EDT
Source: Mayo Clinic

RELATED STORIES:
Cancer study backs Herceptin with chemo   Breast cancer screens don’t save lives: Nordic study   Breast cancer study aims to speed drugs, cooperation   Birth size is a marker of susceptibility to breast cancer later in life   Reconstruction surgery rarely discussed with breast cancer patients   Computer Based Model Helps Radiologists Diagnose Breast Cancer   Gene Variant Increases Breast Cancer Risk   Fruits And Veggies Don’t Prevent Breast Cancer Recurrence   Biophysicist targeting IL-6 to halt breast, prostate cancer   Scientists find new drug target in breast cancer   New studies on surgical options in inherited breast cancer show drastic treatment is not always best   Yoga provides emotional benefits to women with breast cancer   Omega-3 Supplementation May Reduce Joint and Cognitive Side Effects of Breast Cancer Treatments   Tests for genes don’t predict breast cancer better   Scientists developing breast cancer treatment test news   Breast cancer risk lower in migraine sufferers   Study Finds Diet and Alcohol Alter Epigenetics of Breast Cancer and Could Predict Severity of Diseas   ‘Microtentacles’ on tumor cells appear to play role in how breast cancer spreads   Fertility issues in young women with breast cancer must be addressed   Cardiac Effects Associated with Breast Cancer Treatment Appear Lower   International Implementation of Breast Health Guidelines for Developing Countries Published by Cance   Calcium pills no help against breast cancer: study

Comments

[ + Post Your Own ]

Now you're in the public comment zone. What follows is not Armenian Medical Network's stuff; it comes from other people and we don't vouch for it. A reminder: By using this Web site you agree to accept our Terms of Service. Click here to read the Rules of Engagement.

There are no comments for this entry yet. [ + Comment here + ]