Retracted: Microcalcification-associated breast cancer: HER2-enriched molecular subtype is associated with mammographic features

Abstract

Objective: To investigate whether the mammographic features were different between breast cancer HER2-enriched molecular subtype and non-HER2-enriched molecular subtype. Methods: 283 microcalcification-associated breast cancers were identified (HER2-enriched: n = 57; non-HER2-enriched: n = 226). Mammographic tumor mass and calcification features in relation to HER2 molecular subtype were analyzed. Results: On univariate analysis, HER2-enriched molecular subtype rates were significantly higher (a) in tumor size ≤2 cm [33 of 57 (57.9%)] than in tumor size >2 cm lesions [22 of 226 (9.7%)] (p = 0.007), (b) in non-spiculated mass [39 of 57 (68.4%)] than in spiculated mass lesions [18 of 226 (7.9%)] (p = 0.034)，(c) in calcifications extent >2 cm [41 of 57 (71.9%)] lesions than in calcifications extent ≤2 cm lesions [16 of 226 (7.1%)] (p < 0.001) and (d) in calcification density ＞20 cm–2 [44 of 57 (71.2%)] lesions than in calcification density ≤20 cm–2 lesions [13 of 226 (5.8%)] (p = 0.034).On multivariate analysis, three mammographic features [tumor size >2 cm vs size ≤2 cm odds ratio (OR): 0.415 95% confidence interval (CI) (0.215 to 0.802), p = 0.009, spiculated mass vs non-spiculated mass OR: 0.226 95% CI (0.114 to 0.446), p < 0.001 and calcifications extent >2 cm vs calcifications extent ≤2 cm OR: 7.754, 95% CI (3.100 to 19.339) p< 0.001] were independent predictors. Our results indicated that small tumor size, non-spiculated mass and calcification extent >2 cm are more likely to be HER2 molecular subtype. The discrimination of this model, as quantified by the area under the curve, was 0.751 [95% CI (0.701 to 0.854)]. Conclusion: Our study presents a prediction model that incorporates the mammographic features of tumor size, non-spiculated mass and calcification extent, which can potentially be used to preoperative predict breast cancer HER2-enriched subtype. Advances in knowledge: Mammographic features can noninvasively visualize breast tumor phenotype characteristics.