Abstract:

Objective Molecular staging of breast cancer is an important guide for clinical diagnosis and prognosis assessment. Our study sought to non ⁃invasively predict the biological characteristics of breast cancer by examining the relationship between ultrasound features and molecular subtypes. Method 213 female patients who had been surgically or pathologically diagnosed with breast cancer underwent a retrospective analysis. The molecu⁃ lar subtypes were classified into five types：Luminal A，Luminal B HER⁃2（⁃），Luminal B HER⁃2（+），HER⁃2 overexpression and triple ⁃ negative. Different molecular subtypes′ clinical pathological features and conventional ultrasound characteristics were analyzed and summarized. Results Comparison of size，lymph node metastasis， and histologic grading of breast cancers with different molecular staging，as well as comparison of morphology，mar⁃ gins，posterior echogenicity and presence of microcalcifications，and blood flow grading in ultrasound features. The differences were statistically significant（P < 0.05）；LA nodes were predominantly ≤ 20 mm，with lower incidence of lymph node metastasis and lower histologic grade；LB HER⁃2（+）and HER⁃2 overexpressing nodes were more often associated with microcalcifications，and HER⁃2 overexpressing nodes had higher blood flow grade. Sharp mar⁃ gins，regular shape，and enhanced posterior echo were more prevalent in breast cancer lesions of the triple⁃nega⁃ tive type. Conclusion Each molecular stage of breast cancer has its own ultrasound performance characteristics. Preoperative ultrasound can provide some reference basis for breast cancer diagnosis，treatment，and prognosis assessment. 

Key words:

breast cancer, molecular subtype, ultrasonographic feature, pathological type, lymph node metastasis