Summary
Revista Brasileira de Ginecologia e Obstetrícia. 2006;28(10):581-589
DOI 10.1590/S0100-72032006001000003
PURPOSE: To assess the presence of estrogen receptor gene polymorphisms HaeIII and MspI as well as clinical factors, and their possible associations with high mammographic density in post-menopausal women. METHODS: One hundred and fifteen post-menopausal women, not in use of hormonal therapy and without clinical or mammographic lesions were evaluated. Three independent observers have determined the mammographic density pattern based on the ACR-BIRADS® 2003 (two subjective and one objective evaluations - Adobe Photoshop 7.0 software). Oral swabs (Cytobrush) were obtained to extract DNA and the polymerase chain reaction - restriction fragment length polymorphism) was performed to assess the presence of polymorphisms in intron 1 and exon 1 from estrogen receptor gene (HaeIII and MspI). RESULTS: The HaeIII polymorphism was found in 43 (37.4%) of the 115 women, while MspI was found in 96 (83.5%) of them. There was a good agreement among determinations of the three observers with regard to mammographic density. Thirty-four (29.6%) women had dense breasts and eighty-one (70.4%) had non-dense breasts. CONCLUSION: The estrogen receptor gene polymorphism Haelll showed no association with mammographic density (Fisher = 0.712), while the association between estrogen receptor gene polymorphism Mspl and mammographic density was near significance (Fisher = 0.098). The associations among age, parity and body mass index revealed statistical significance.
Summary
Revista Brasileira de Ginecologia e Obstetrícia. 2006;28(4):214-219
DOI 10.1590/S0100-72032006000400002
PURPOSE: to evaluate the characteristics of mammography use and the social demographic profile of women accessing public and private health care services. METHODS: a cross-sectional study was carried out in the city of Taubaté, southeast Brazil. Six hundred and forty-three women who underwent mammographic examinations in the available health care services were interviewed, 472 of them in public and 171 in private health services. The social demographic and reproductive profiles of the women interviewed and the characteristics of the mammography use, such as the proportion of the women interviewed who had been previously screened, the age when the screening began, the interval between the screenings and their frequency, were evaluated by means of the Fisher exact, Wilcoxon and chi2 tests. RESULTS: the mean age of the interviewed women was similar in both studied groups. The proportion of women previously screened 54.2 and 79.5% in public and private services, respectively as well as the age when the screening began 46.8 years (SD 10.2%) in public services and 40.2 years (SD 7.7) in private services differed significantly (p<0.01). Twenty-five percent of women older than 50 years did not follow the adequate standards of periodic screening. CONCLUSIONS: the way of accessing health services has influenced the proportion of women previously screened and the age at which this screening began, being more adequate in the private health system. Although there was a later start in the public health services, the age when the mammographic screening began was earlier than the current official recommendations. There has been a failure of compliance with mammographic screening in women older than 50 years, in both researched groups.
Summary
Revista Brasileira de Ginecologia e Obstetrícia. 1999;21(7):419-421
DOI 10.1590/S0100-72031999000700009
Squamous cell carcinoma of the mammary tissue is a very rare neoplasm, representing less than 1% of all breast carcinomas. The present study reports a case of squamous cell carcinoma of the breast, treated at the Hospital Araújo Jorge/ACCG. The tumor diagnosis, treatment and prognosis are also discussed.
Summary
Revista Brasileira de Ginecologia e Obstetrícia. 2005;27(7):415-420
DOI 10.1590/S0100-72032005000700008
PURPOSE: to evaluate the cost of preventive mammographic screening in climacteric women, as compared to the cost of breast cancer treatment in more advanced stages. METHODS: one thousand and fourteen patients attended at the Climacteric outpatient service of the Gynecology Department, Federal University of São Paulo Paulista School of Medicine, were included in the study and submitted to mammographic test. All mammographic test's were analyzed by the same two physicians and classified according to the BI-RADS (Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System American College of Radiology) categories. The detected lesions were submitted to cytological and histological examination. RESULTS: the final diagnostic impression of the 1014 examinations, according to the classification of BI-RADS categories was: 1=261, 2=671, 3=59, 4=22 and 5=1. The invasive procedures were performed through a needle guided by ultrasound or stereotactic examinations: 33 fine-needle aspiration biopsies, 6 core biopsies guided by ultrasound and 20 core biopsies guided by stereotactic examination. Five cancer diagnoses were established. The total cost of this screening based on Brazilian procedure values was R$ 76,593.79 (25,534 dollars). Therefore, the cost of the diagnosis of the five cases of cancer in this screening was R$ 15,318.75 (5,106 dollars) each. However, the average cost per patient screened was R$ 75.53 (25 dollars). CONCLUSIONS: considering that the total treatment cost of only one case of breast cancer in advanced stage including hospital costs, surgery, chemotherapy, radiotherapy and hormonal treatment is similar to the cost of 1,000 mammographic screenings in climacteric women, it may be concluded that the cost of the early cancer diagnosis program is worth it and should be included in the public health program, as a way of lowering the public health expense.
Summary
Revista Brasileira de Ginecologia e Obstetrícia. 2004;26(1):45-52
DOI 10.1590/S0100-72032004000100007
PURPOSE: to evaluate the relationship between epidemiologic, anthropometric, reproductive and hormonal factors and mammographic density in postmenopausal women. METHODS: this is a retrospective, cross-sectional study, including 144 women aged 45 years or more, with at least 12 months of amenorrhea and who were non users of hormone replacement therapy during the last six months. Medical charts were reviewed to evaluate age, weight, body mass index (BMI), parity, age at menarche, age at menopause and levels of estradiol, follicle stimulating (FSH) and luteinizing hormones. Mammograms were analyzed by two blinded investigators. The films were taken in the craniocaudal and mediolateral views and mammography was classified as dense and nondense, according to the Wolfe criteria. For statistical analysis, the frequency, median, minimum and maximum values, the Wilcoxon test and the odds ratio were used. Multiple logistic regression was performed, using the stepwise selection, with a 5% significance level. RESULTS: the frequency of dense breasts was 45%. Women with dense breasts were of lower weight (60.5 vs. 71.9 kg - p<0.01), had a lower BMI (25.9 vs 31.0 kg/m² - p<0.01), a shorter time since onset of menopause (6.0 vs 10 years - p<0.01) and higher levels of FSH (75.2 vs 60.3 mU/mL - p<0.01). The probability of having dense breasts decreased in women whose weight was 67 kg or more (OR = 4.0, CI 95% = 1.50-10.66), BMI was higher than 30 kg/m² (OR = 6.69, CI 95% = 1.67-36.81), time since onset of menopause was superior or equal to seven years (OR = 2.05, CI 95% = 1.05-3.99) and FSH levels were lower than 134.8 mU/mL. CONCLUSION: weight, BMI, parity, time since menopause and FSH levels were significantly associated with mammographic density patterns.