Endocrine Abstracts

Introduction: Benign breast disease is the most common reason for senology consultation.

Objectives: To investigate the possible involvement of thyroid autoimmunity and hypovitaminosis D in the development of mammary echo-structural lesions.

Method: The BI-RADS score was assigned to categories 1–4 characteristic of benign mastopathy, in three groups of patients: Group 1 (n=167) – with chronic autoimmune thyroiditis and normal vitamin D values; Group 2 (n=172) – patients without thyroid pathology with moderate and severe vitamin D deficiency; Group 3 (n= 181) – patients with chronic autoimmune thyroiditis and moderate and severe vitamin D deficiency respectively.

Results: In the study group 1–90% of patients had both types of antithyroid antibodies (ATPO/ATG) and 6.5% only positive ATPO, and 3.5% only positive ATG; for the patient group with both types of antibody there were significant differences (P < 0.001) between the BIRADS score 4 and previous scores 1–2–3; statistical significance was remarkable in the ATG group (P < 0.001) and not significant for the ATPO group. In group 2 of study – a statistical significance (P < 0.001) was found in both groups of women investigated in terms of serum deficiency of vitamin D, for stage 4 BIRADS score, the statistical significance (P < 0.001) also being in favor of those with very low levels of vitamin D. For study group 3 – the maximally breast density assessed in the study (BIRADS-4) was significantly increased (P < 0.001) for patients from the group with moderately low vitamin D level with both types of antibodies and with positive ATPO only, being insignificant in the group with positive ATG – only. For the severely deficient group the statistical significance was recorded only in the group with both types of thyroid autoantibodies. Within each study group, significant percentages (P < 0.001) for the 4-BIRADS score in the group with both antibody types present – group 1 and group 3 moderate and severe vitamin D group were observed.

Conclusions: The presence of thyroid autoimmunity and vitamin D deficiency are factors involved in the development of benign mastopathy. Additional studies may be required to fully characterize the mechanism of action. Theexpression specificities of autoimmunity and functionality of vitamin D receptor, their quantitative fluctuations in breast tissue and the specificity of bioavailability of mammary tissue components offer lesion variability with multiple individualities.