Peritumoral edema on preoperative breast MRI is associated with reduced disease-free survival in young women with breast cancer.

PURPOSE Breast cancer in young women is frequently associated with more aggressive biological behavior. Certain MRI features may provide prognostic information in this population. This study aimed to assess the association between preoperative breast MRI characteristics, histopathological features, and disease-free survival (DFS) in young women with breast cancer.

METHODS In this single-center retrospective study, pathology reports from 2012 to 2023 were reviewed using the institutional archive system. Preoperative MRI scans of 149 women under the age of 40 with breast cancer were evaluated. Univariate and multivariate Cox proportional hazards regression analyses were performed to identify factors associated with DFS. Variables with a p-value <0.10 in the univariate analysis were included in the multivariate model. Kaplan-Meier survival curves were generated, and statistical significance was assessed using the log-rank test.

RESULTS The median follow-up duration was 63 months (range: 10-142 months), and the median DFS was 55 months (range: 5-139 months). Peritumoral edema (p < 0.001; HR = 3.654; 95% CI: 1.767-7.556) and axillary lymph node positivity (p < 0.001; HR = 5.552; 95% CI: 2.204-13.988) were associated with reduced DFS.

CONCLUSION In young women with breast cancer, peritumoral edema on preoperative breast MRI is associated with reduced DFS.