Mammographic Parenchymal Patterns and Breast Cancer Risk: Considering BMI, CBT and Age of Women in Tabriz, Iran

Mammography is a well-accepted diagnostic technique for the early detection of breast cancer and has been shown to reduce the breast cancer mortality rate in women who are 40-69 years old Boonlikit (2013). Some studies explained age and race related changes in mammographic parenchymal patterns (Zulfiqar et al., 2011). The radiology appearance of the female breast varies from completely fatty to extremely dense, depending on the proportion of fibroglandular tissue present. It has been demonstrated that the mammographic parenchymal pattern or the mammographic density of the breast is related to the risk of developing breast cancer (Ciatto and Zappa 1993; Sickles, 2007) with a two-six fold increase in risk in women with a dense parenchyma pattern compared with women with a fatty paranchymal pattern. In young women, breast parenchymal pattern is more commonly dense. The breast density naturally diminishes with age. But hormone replacement therapy slows breast involution and increases mammographic density (Ahmadi et al., 2005). Also, Denser breast is seen in nulliparous