But even a benign pathology report can tell a woman something about her future risk of breast cancer. However, a small proportion are at a higher level of risk. The findings of this study help refine our understanding of which women might be at greater risk. Schnitt is also an associate professor of pathology at Harvard Medical School. The study confirms earlier reports about a suspected relationship between radial scars and breast cancer.
Radial scars are tiny abnormal tissue changes found deep within breasts.
In this study, radial scars were detected with a microscope in biopsies taken to check for other breast abnormalities. Larger radial scars can be detected by mammography. Doctors are not sure how radial scars develop in the breast. They cannot be seen with the naked eye, nor can they be felt in a breast exam. Their name comes from the way they look under the microscope.