New factor in breast cancer prediction

Rochester, Minn. -- A U.S. study suggests women with at least three sites of cellular atypia in breast tissue are nearly eight times more likely to develop breast cancer.

"The most commonly used tool for risk prediction in women with atypia is the Gail model, which may predict inaccurately because our study shows that family history does not change risk significantly in women with atypia," said Dr. Amy Degnim, a Mayo Clinic surgeon and study author. "Our findings indicate women with atypia have a higher absolute risk for breast cancer than previously estimated. This risk is 25 percent over 25 years and is much higher in women with multiple areas of atypia and calcification."

While the study found family history didn't further increase risk, age at diagnosis of atypia did affect risk, with women under age 45 more than twice as likely to develop breast cancer compared with women diagnosed with atypia after 55.

"With the ability to stratify the risk of breast cancer in women with atypia, we can have more informed discussions with our patients regarding their personal risk," said Degnim.

The study is reported in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.

Copyright 2007 by United Press International.