A team of researchers at Dexeus Mujer has carried out a study, led by Dr Máximo Izquierdo, which analyses the relationship between bone mineral density (BMD) and breast cancer in postmenopausal women. The study was carried out on a sample of 340 patients of Dexeus Mujer who were diagnosed with breast cancer. As per the centre’s own protocol, prior to the onset of the cancer, all of them had undergone a bone densitometry scan as part of their annual gynaecological check-up. The average age of the patients was 61 years.

According to the results, good calcification —assessed by a bone densitometry scan performed during a gynaecological check-up— is associated with less aggressive cancer. For this reason, the researchers concluded that it is advisable for patients going through this stage to carry out a comprehensive gynaecological check-up that includes a bone densitometry scan.

The study was supported by the Research Chair in Obstetrics and Gynaecology of Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB) and was presented at the San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium 2021 (SABCS), held last December. At this conference, which takes place every year in San Antonio, Texas, the world’s latest developments in breast cancer are presented, and the most prestigious international centres report their advances in research on breast cancer.