Evidence map›Paper›PMID 29182397›Full record

ArticleThe British journal of radiology2018

Breast tissue density change after oophorectomy in BRCA mutation carrier patients using visual and volumetric analysis.

Augustin Lecler, Ariane Dunant, Suzette Delaloge, Delphine Wehrer, Tania Moussa, Olivier Caron, Corinne Balleyguier

Open access · greenAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in The British journal of radiology, 2018. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
3citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact, top 74% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

3 citing papers in PubMed, 6 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Breast Density Changes after Risk-Reducing Salpingo-oophorectomy in Women with a Pathogenic Germline Variant in BRCA1 or BRCA2.Cancer epidemiology, biomarkers & prevention : a publication of the American Association for Cancer Research, cosponsored by the American Society of Preventive Oncology · 2025
    Article
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors at 3 institutions in 2 countries.

Augustin Lecler1 Department of Radiology, Fondation Ophtalmologique Rothschild , Fondation Ophtalmologique Rothschild , Paris , France.ORCID 0000-0001-7869-1815
Ariane Dunant3 Department of Biostatistic and Epidemiology, Gustave Roussy , Gustave Roussy , Villejuif , France.
Suzette Delaloge4 Department of Medical Oncology, Gustave Roussy , Gustave Roussy , Villejuif , France.
Delphine Wehrer5 Department of Genetics, Gustave Roussy , Gustave Roussy , Villejuif , France.
Tania Moussa2 Department of Radiology, Gustave Roussy , Gustave Roussy , Villejuif , France.
Olivier Caron5 Department of Genetics, Gustave Roussy , Gustave Roussy , Villejuif , France.
Corinne Balleyguier2 Department of Radiology, Gustave Roussy , Gustave Roussy , Villejuif , France.
Institut Gustave Roussy · FRUniversité Paris-Sud · FRWeatherford College · US

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectiveBRCA1/2 mutations account for 30-50% of hereditary breast cancers and bilateral oophorectomy is associated with a reduced risk of breast cancer in these patients. Breast density is a well-established breast cancer risk factor and is also associated with increased risk in BRCA carriers. The aim of the study was to evaluate the impact of oophorectomy on mammographic breast density and to assess which method of breast density assessment is more sensitive to change over time.

methodsRetrospective study of 50 BRCA1/2 patients who underwent bilateral oophorectomy and had at least a baseline and post-surgery mammogram. Mammographic breast density was determined by Volpara and consensus visual assessment by two radiologists. The primary endpoint was change in density between baseline and the first mammogram post-surgery.

resultsAt baseline, there was a non-significant trend for decreased density with increasing age. Volumetric breast density (VBD) significantly decreased after oophorectomy from a median VBD of 12.5% at baseline to 10.2% post-surgery which was driven by a reduction in fibroglandular volume. There was a higher absolute decrease in VBD in patients aged between 40-50 (p < 0.01). Using Volpara Density Grades (analogous to BI-RADS 4th edition density categories), 84% of females displayed a decrease in density category over the study period compared to only 76% using the radiologists' visual classification (p < 0.001) Conclusion: Oophorectomy is associated with a decrease in breast density and younger patients exhibit a larger absolute decrease. Volpara is more sensitive to identify change over time compared to visual assessment. Advances in knowledge: Oophorectomy is associated with a significant decrease in VBD in patients with BRCA mutations and Volpara Density Grades were more sensitive to identify decreases in density compared to visually assessed BI-RADS categories. Decreases in breast density following oophorectomy surgery in BRCA patients may be one of the mechanisms contributing to the observed decreased breast cancer risk after surgery. However, further studies are needed to investigate the relationship between breast density, oophorectomy and breast cancer risk in BRCA patients.

Indexed as

Breast DensityGenes, BRCA1Genes, BRCA2OvariectomyAdultAlgorithmsBreast NeoplasmsFemaleHumansImage Interpretation, Computer-AssistedLongitudinal StudiesMammographyMiddle AgedRetrospective Studies

Identifiers

PMID29182397
PMCPMC5965464
OpenAlexW2769455709

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.