THE ROLE OF E2/P RATIO IN THE ETIOLOGY OF FIBROCYSTIC BREAST DISEASE, MASTALGIA AND MASTODYNIA

Estrogens and the risk of breast cancer: A narrative review of literature

In female mammals, the development and regulation of the reproductive system and non-reproductive system are significantly influenced by estrogens (oestrogens). In addition, lipid metabolism is another physiological role of estrogens. Estrogens act through different types of receptors to introduce signals to the target cell by affecting many estrogen response elements. Breast cancer is considered mostly a hormone-dependent disease. Approximately 70% of breast cancers express progesterone receptors and/or estrogen receptors, and they are a good marker for cancer prognosis. This review will discuss estrogen metabolism and the interaction of estrogen metabolites with breast cancer. The carcinogenic role of estrogen is discussed in light of both conventional and atypical cancers susceptible to hormones, such as prostate, endometrial, and lung cancer, as we examine how estrogen contributes to the formation and activation of breast cancer. In addition, this review will discuss other factors that can be associated with estrogen-driven breast cancer.

An Interesting Imaging Presentation of a Common Benign Entity: Fibrocystic Changes in a Postmenopausal Patient

Fibrocystic changes (FCCs) are common, often benign, breast lesions characterized by adenosis, fibrosis, and cyst formation. These changes are believed to be associated with fluctuating hormone levels and are predominantly found in premenopausal women due to higher levels of estrogen. Certain conditions that cause hormonal imbalances, such as polycystic ovarian syndrome, have also been associated with an increased risk of FCCs. FCCs can occur in postmenopausal women on hormonal replacement therapy but are otherwise extremely rare. Although this condition is primarily considered benign, complex cysts presenting in a rare demographic warrant further evaluation beyond screening mammograms to exclude the possibility of malignancy. In this paper, we present the case of new FCCs in a postmenopausal woman and explore the radiology, histology, carcinogenic potential, treatment options, and potential contributing factors of the condition.

The association of fibrocystic breast disease with endometrial histopathological results in abnormal uterine bleeding

Background/Aim: Fibrocystic breast disease (FBD) is the most frequent benign breast disease. Increased estrogen and decreased progesterone concentrations are thought to be involved in the pathogenesis of FBD. But there is insufficient data on benign breast disease and endometrial pathology. This study evaluates the association between FBD and endometrial pathology in women complaining of abnormal uterine bleeding. Methods: This study was designed as a retrospective case-control study. The medical records of women who had endometrial sampling for abnormal uterine bleeding between 2018 and 2020 were evaluated. Patients with FBD were included in the study group, while the first patients who had endometrial sampling after patients with FBD and without breast disease were recruited as the control group. Demographic, laboratory data, and endometrial histopathological results were obtained from hospital records and compared between the groups. Results: In total, 250 women (106 women with FBD and 144 without breast disease) were recruited for the study. There was no statistically significant difference in mean age, gravidity, parity, and BMI between FBD and control groups. Endometrial hyperplasia without atypia (19.8% versus 10.5%, respectively, P = 0.037) and endometrial polyp (12.2% versus 4.8%, respectively, P = 0.033) were found to be significantly increased in patients with FBD than women without the disease. There was no statistically significant difference in terms of other histopathological results between the groups. Conclusion: Evaluation of the endometrium for abnormal uterine bleeding is essential for early diagnosis and treatment of endometrial pathology, especially for endometrial cancer. In this study, we found that women with FBD have an increased risk for endometrial hyperplasia and endometrial polyp. As endometrial hyperplasia is a precursor lesion for endometrial cancer, clinicians should pay attention to and investigate menstrual bleeding abnormalities of women with FBD and should not delay the evaluation of the endometrium.

Concerns About Breast Pain: How Useful Is Imaging?

Background: Breast pain is one of the most common reasons for referral to breast imaging. Objectives: This study aimed to determine the diagnostic yield of mammography and sonomammography in women complaining of breast pain in a teaching hospital in Southeast Nigeria. Methods: This descriptive study analyzed the mammographic/sonomammographic images and records of 241 consecutive adult women aged 18 - 81 years with breast pain who presented to the radiology department over three years. A non-random sampling method was employed to select the participants. The extracted variables were patient’s age, positive clinical history of breast pain, laterality of breast pain, type of imaging, presence or absence of lesion, type, and laterality of lesions if present, and Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System (BI-RADS) assignment of imaging findings on mammography and sonomammography. The descriptive analysis of continuous variables and inferential statistics of ordinal data were performed with Microsoft Excel and chi-squared test, respectively. In this study, P < 0.05 was set as the significance level. Results: Most women (20%) with a complaint of breast pain were in the 40 - 44-year age group. Moreover, 32.3%, 33.2%, and 34.4% of the participants had left-sided, right-sided, and bilateral breast pain, respectively. Among the participants, 118 and 123 women had mammography and sonomammography, respectively. Furthermore, 76.3% had normal findings on mammography or sonomammography, and only 23.7% had positive imaging findings on breast imaging. These lesions were mostly observed among the women in the age group of 45 - 49 years. Of those with lesions detected on imaging, 79.2% and 20.8% demonstrated benign and malignant attributes, respectively. Masses with definite benign attributes assigned BI-RADS II were mostly fibroadenomata and cysts. Inferential statistics indicated that unilateral mastalgia was more likely to be associated with a breast lesion, while bilateral mastalgia usually resulted in normal breast imaging findings. Conclusions: Women referring to the Radiology Department with a complaint of breast pain alone are unlikely to have any significant breast imaging finding; hence, imaging serves as a tool for assuaging the anxiety of these patients and reassuring the referring physician. Unilateral but not bilateral mastalgia is likely to yield positive imaging findings, which are largely benign.

Mammary Fibrocystic Change in a Pre-Pubertal child- A Case Report with a Histopathological Perspective

Fibrocystic change in the breast is one of the entities under the spectrum of benign breast disease. It occurs primarily in females of the reproductive age group. Though the exact etiology is unknown, estrogen-progesterone imbalance is possibly one of the causative factors. Its occurrence in the pediatric age group is infrequent and is hitherto unreported in the pre-pubertal age group. Case report: We present the case of a 2-year-old female presenting with an ill -defined lump approximately 4 cm in diameter, with an unremarkable hormonal status for the age. Histopathology revealed fibrocystic change in the resected tissue. Conclusion: Fibrocystic breast change in children may represent an exaggeration of the normal developmental involution process.