COMBINED USE OF MAMMOGRAPHY AND ULTRASOUND IN THE DIAGNOSIS OF BREAST CANCER IN WOMEN WITH HIGH TISSUE DENSITY

Breast cancer (BC) is the most common malignancy in women worldwide and is a leading cause of cancer-related mortality [1,2]. According to the World Health Organization, more than 2 million new cases are registered annually, and early diagnosis remains a key factor determining patient survival [1]. Mammography is currently recognized as the "gold standard" for breast cancer screening and has a high sensitivity, reaching 80–98% in women with predominantly fatty breast tissue [3,4]. However, the effectiveness of the method is significantly reduced in women with high breast density (BI - RADS 3–4), where sensitivity can decrease to 30–48% [4–6]. This is due to the fact that fibroglandular tissue and tumor formations have similar radiographic density, which complicates their differentiation and can lead to false-negative results [5,7]. High breast density not only reduces the diagnostic accuracy of mammography but is also considered an independent risk factor for breast cancer [6,8]. This increases the likelihood of so-called "interval cancers" detected between screening examinations, which worsens the prognosis of the disease [8].