Abstract
Background. Breast cancer is the most common malignancy diagnosed in women, and the incidence gradually increases. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is become widely used to identify benign and malignant breast tumors. Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationships between apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) values and histopathologic prognostic factors in breast cancer.
Methods. Forty-nine breast carcinoma patients were included evaluated for prognostic factors, including histological type, histological grade, estrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PR), human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2), and molecular subtype. Minimum (ADCmin) and mean (ADCmean) ADC values were compared among prognostic factor groups by Mann–Whitney U test and Kruskal–Wallis test.
Results. Lower mean ADCmin and ADCmean values were observed for no special type (NST) than for invasive lobular carcinoma (ILC) type (0.81 ± 0.03 × 10−3 and 0.96 ± 0.03 × 10−3 mm2/s, P= 0.002 and 0.03, respectively). The mean ADCmin and ADCmean values for the high-level Ki-67 group were significantly lower than those for the low-level Ki-67 group (P = 0.001 and 0.008, respectively). No correlations were observed between ADC values and histological grades, ER, PR, HER2, and molecular subtypes.
Conclusion. ADCmin and ADCmean values correlated with the proliferation marker Ki-67 and histological grade. ADC values can serve as noninvasive indicators of cell proliferation in breast cancer.