Mastitis as a risk factor for breast cancer: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
Aryane Cristina de Figueiredo Azevedo, Raissa Martins da Silva, Felipe Alves de Paiva et al.
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In 30 seconds
This systematic review and random-effects meta-analysis examined whether mastitis is associated with breast cancer. It included 54,216 patients: 18,753 with mastitis and 35,463 controls. A history of mastitis was associated with higher odds of breast cancer (OR: 2.12; 95% CI: 1.44-3.11; p = 0.0423). Longitudinal analysis also found an increased rate of breast cancer in the mastitis group (HR: 2.0057; 95% CI: 1.1739-3.4269; p = 0.011). The authors describe this as a possible association and call for prospective studies to confirm it.
Key findings
- Patients with a history of mastitis had higher odds of breast cancer (OR: 2.12; 95% CI: 1.44-3.11; p = 0.0423).
- Longitudinal analysis found higher breast cancer risk in the mastitis group (HR: 2.0057; 95% CI: 1.1739-3.4269; p = 0.011).
- The meta-analysis included 54,216 patients, including 18,753 with mastitis and 35,463 controls.
Why it matters
The findings suggest that mastitis history may be relevant when studying breast cancer risk, but they do not establish that mastitis causes cancer. The association warrants confirmation and clarification, particularly because the authors identify a need for prospective research using robust detection methods and paired tissue analyses.
What to keep in mind
The authors state that prospective studies with robust detection methods and paired tissue analyses are needed to confirm the findings and clarify mastitis’s role in breast tumorigenesis.