Breast Cancer Screening Flashcards
What is the recommended frequency for mammography?
Every two years in women aged 50-74
This guideline is applicable for the USMLE.
At what age should mammography start for women with a first degree family member (i.e., parent or sibling) who has a history of breast cancer?
At age 40
This is earlier than the standard recommendation.
What type of breast screening is typically done for women under 30?
Ultrasound
Mammography is not recommended for this age group due to dense breast tissue.
Why is mammography less reliable for younger women?
Younger women have denser breast tissue, leading to more false positives
This makes mammography less specific.
What is the correlation between estrogen and progesterone receptor (ER/PR) positivity and breast cancer prognosis?
Better prognosis
This is partially because SERMs and aromatase inhibitors can be used as treatment.
What does HER2/neu positivity indicate regarding breast cancer prognosis?
Worse prognosis
Trastuzumab (Herceptin) can be used to target HER2/neu.
True or False: Mammography is the preferred screening method for women under 30.
False
Ultrasound is preferred for this age group.
Fill in the blank: Mammography for women aged 50-74 is performed every _______.
two years
Tx HER2/neu positive breast cancer
Trastuzumab (Herceptin) can be used to target HER2/neu.
Tx estrogen and progesterone receptor (ER/PR) positive breast cancer
SERMs and aromatase inhibitors
What is the prognosis for Triple-negative ER/PR/HER2/neu breast cancer?
Bad prognosis. Triple-negative ER/PR/HER2/neu due to increased aggressiveness, increased rates of recurrence, and increased risk of metastasis to lungs/brain
This subtype of breast cancer is known for its challenging treatment options and poorer outcomes.
What does 2CK NBME recommend for patients with confirmed BRCA mutation?
Bilateral mastectomy + oophorectomy
This recommendation is based on the increased risk of breast and ovarian cancers associated with BRCA mutations.
How does hormone replacement therapy (HRT) affect breast cancer risk?
Increases breast cancer risk due to increased absolute estrogen exposure over a female’s life
This risk is present even with the use of progesterone in HRT.
What is the major risk factor for endometrial cancer?
Unopposed estrogen
This refers to estrogen that is not balanced by progesterone, which can lead to increased endometrial cell proliferation.
Why is HRT only approved for severe vasomotor symptoms?
Due to increased risk of breast cancer, thromboembolic events, myocardial infarction, and stroke
Estrogen’s role in upregulating fibrinogen and factors V and VIII contributes to these risks.
What factors does estrogen upregulate that contribute to thromboembolic risks?
Fibrinogen and factors V and VIII
These factors play critical roles in the coagulation cascade.
