Interval breast cancer: radiological surveillance in screening Egyptian population
Authors: Shetat Ola Magdy Mohamed , Abdelaal Mai Magdy Abdelmonem , Hussein Dalia , Fahim Mohamed , Kamal Eman Faker Mokhtar 
Published: January 2024

Background

Interval cancers might be divided into true negative interval cancer where a new lesion is detected that no sign of disease could be detected on previous screening mammogram. For false-negative interval cancers, those missed for overt symptoms and those missed for mild or undetectable ones, this includes interpretive error as benign interval cancer (benign mimics), subtle changes, masked carcinoma or slowly growing or patient factors, such as the dense breast parenchyma. Technical failure interval cancer hampered the reader to discover the abnormality. The aim of this study was to relate the risk factors for the development of the interval breast cancer such as breast density, positive family history of breast cancer in Egyptian population. Highlight the causes of missed breast cancer in order to overcome it in the future radiological interpretation.

Methods

A total of 74,546 screening mammographic examinations were performed in the radiology department at specialized breast cancer center in the period between 2015 and 2021 with about 844 pathologically proved malignant cases. Out of the 844 pathologically proven breast cancer cases, 185 breast cancer patients were interval breast cancer having reported normal examination in the previous year, 88 were true interval breast cancer and 97 were missed on mammography and detected later on. The cases were subjected to full-field digital mammogram (FFDM), complementary ultrasound, contrast-enhanced digital mammography (CEDM) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in some cases, and all cases were histopathologically proven by either fine needle aspiration, core needle biopsy (CNB) or open biopsy.

Results

The mean age of the patients was 53.5 years (range 36–83 years). The overall breast cancer detection rate was 11 per 1000 women. The 185 interval cancers were present at a rate of 3.8 per 1000 women. True negative interval breast cancers where 88 cancers were not present in retrospect on screening mammograms, 17 cases present with benign findings (benign mimics mass or calcifications) and 80 cancers were missed cancers. Analysis of the cause of missed carcinoma revealed patient-related, tumor-related, or provider-related factors. Tumor factors were the most commonly encountered, accounting for 49.5% (48 cases), then provider factors in 25.8% (25 cases) while the patient factors were the least commonly encountered in 24.7% (24 cases). Recorded positive family history found in about 35% (31cases) of the true interval breast cancers.

Conclusions

Although mammography is the standard for detecting early breast cancer, some cancers can be missed due to various causes. Mammographic interpretation must meet high standards to reduce missed cancers. Radiologists should carefully assess screening views and order additional imaging if needed. Palpable lesions and clinical data should be further examined with ultrasound and contrast imaging if necessary. Always compare current images with previous examinations to check for any changes in lesion size. When one pathology is found, search for additional lesions.