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Portrait of Sophia Zackrisson. Photo

Sophia Zackrisson

Research group manager, Principal investigator, Professor, MD

Portrait of Sophia Zackrisson. Photo

“Association of mammographic features with molecular breast tumor profiles”

Author

  • Hanna Sartor
  • Sophia Zackrisson
  • Cecilia Hegardt
  • Christer Larsson

Summary, in English

Purpose: Mammographic density and tumor appearance are breast cancer prognostic factors. Conceivably, mammographic features are macroscopic reflections of tumor´s molecular composition, but to an unknown extent. Our aim was to study associations of mammographic features with molecular tumor profiles. Methods: Invasive breast cancers (2007-2016) in Malmö Diet and Cancer Study (MDCS) for which there were tumor RNA-sequencing analyses within Sweden Cancerome Analysis Network – Breast (SCAN-B) (n=102) or All Breast Cancer in Malmö (ABIM) (n=50) were identified. Density (fatty vs. dense), tumor appearance (mass vs. spiculation), and intrinsic subtypes were registered. Differences in gene/metagene expression and Microenvironment Cell Population Counter were analyzed with R. Overall survival was used as endpoint. Results: No gene expression differences between density groups was observed. In one cohort (but not the other), Luminal A tumors associated with fatty breasts. For spiculation vs. mass, (p<0.01, t-test) 86 genes were differentially expressed; only one gene was differentially expressed comparing density. Gene set enrichment analysis showed genes highly expressed in spiculated tumors were enriched for extracellular matrix-associated genes whereas genes highly expressed with masses were associated with proliferation. A spiculation metagene, based on differentially expressed genes, showed association with estrogen receptor positivity, lower grade, and improved survival, but it was not an independent prognostic factor. Conclusion: There are clear differences in molecular composition between breast tumors with a spiculated appearance vs. a mass as the dominant tumor appearance. However, there are no apparent molecular differences related to the density of the breast in which the tumor has arisen.

Department/s

  • Diagnostic Radiology, (Lund)
  • LUCC: Lund University Cancer Centre
  • EpiHealth: Epidemiology for Health
  • Breastcancer-genetics
  • Tumor Cell Biology
  • Division of Translational Cancer Research

Publishing year

2021

Language

English

Publication/Series

Cancer Treatment and Research Communications

Volume

28

Document type

Journal article

Publisher

Elsevier

Topic

  • Cancer and Oncology

Keywords

  • Breast neoplasms
  • Diagnostic imaging
  • Mammography
  • Survival

Status

Published

Research group

  • Tumor Cell Biology

ISBN/ISSN/Other

  • ISSN: 2468-2942