Imaging Findings and Clinicopathological Correlation of Breast Cancer in Women under 40 Years Old

Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the clinical, imaging and histopathological features of breast cancer in patients aged under 40 years of age. The relationship between radiological characteristics and histopathological features was also investigated. Materials and Methods: The study included 131 patients aged under 40 years, diagnosed pathologically with breast cancer. A retrospective evaluation was made of the imaging and clinicopathological findings and the relationship between pathological and imaging findings was investigated. Results: Most of the cancers were detected from clinical symptoms, especially a palpable mass (76.3%). The most common histological type of tumor was invasive ductal carcinoma and 64.8% of the tumors were high grade tumors. The predominant features were irregular borders (92.4%), microlobulated-angulated contours (43.5%), hypo-homogeneous internal echogenicity (80.9%) on ultrasonography, and the presence of a mass (41.2%) and suspicious microcalcifications (40.2%) on mammography. Magnetic resonance imaging commonly showed mass enhancement (66.7%) with type 2 or 3 dynamic curve (92.6%). High-grade tumors were associated with posterior acoustic enhancement (p: 0.03) while low-grade tumors presented with spiculated margins more than high grade tumors (p: 0.04). Conclusion: Breast cancer in women aged under 40 years usually presents with a self-detected palpable mass and can show different imaging findings according to the histological grade. Ultrasonography is the main modality for the diagnosis of breast cancer in young women, but mammography and magnetic resonance imaging can help in both diagnosis and evaluation of the extent of disease.