Infra-red Thermography as a Predictor of Prognosis in Breast Cancer.
- Author:
Man Kyu CHAE
1
;
Yong Seok JANG
;
Kyung Kyw PARK
;
Kyung Yul HUR
;
Hye Kyung LEE
;
Wook PARK
;
Min Hyuk LEE
Author Information
1. Department of Surgery, College of Medicine, Soonchunhyang University, Seoul, Korea.
- Publication Type:Original Article
- Keywords:
Breast cancer;
Thennography;
Prognostic factor
- MeSH:
Arm;
Breast Neoplasms*;
Breast*;
Classification;
Estrogens;
Humans;
Neoplasm Metastasis;
Prognosis*;
Skin;
Survival Rate;
Thermography*
- From:Journal of the Korean Cancer Association
1999;31(2):282-288
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:Korean
-
Abstract:
PURPOSE: The purpose of this study is to analyze the usefulness of breast thermography in assessing the prognosis in breast cancer and to obtain correlative evidence between thermographic prognosis and prognostic factors for breast cancer. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Thermographic examinations were performed in a room maintained at 20C. The patient was undressed to the waist, with both arms elevated for 10 minutes prior to the examination in order to cool and equilibrate the breast skin at room temperature. Digital infrared thermographic system was used (NEC, San-ei, Therm Tracer 6T67). The thermographic prognosis was classified according to Dr. Hobbins (Sl good, S2=fair and S-poor) suggested by Dr. Hobbins. The results were analyzed by Chi-Squire. One hundred three patients of breast cancer were examined by digital infrared thermographic system between Jan 1992 and December 1996. RESULTS: The mean age was 48, with a range from 20 to 85. According to the TNM classification 25 (24%) were in stage I, 47 (46%) stage II, 29 (28%) stage III, and 2 (2%) stage IV. The tumor size ranged from 0.5 to 20 cm (mean 4 cm), On histologic examination, 43 (43.%) patients had metastasis in the axillary nodes, 40 (55%) patients was estrogen-receptor positive. The nuclear grade I was 46 (35%) patients, II 24 (28%) and III 16 (19%). The classification of thermographic prognosis were Sl in 47 cases (46%), 82 in 32 (31%) and 83 in 24 (23%). The classification of the thermographic prognosis was found to be statistically correlated with tumor size (p<0.0001), axillary node status (p<0.0001) and TNM tumor stage (p<0.0001). But nuclear grade and estrogen receptor were not statistically correlated with the thermographic prognosis. The correlation between thermographic prognosis and actual survival rate was not available. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that breast thermography would be useful as a predictor in breast cancer before surgery.
