Incidental detection of ground glass nodules and primary lung cancer in patients with breast cancer: prevalence and long-term follow-up on chest computed tomography

Hye Sun Ryu et al. investigated incidental ground glass nodules (GGNs) and lung cancer in breast cancer patients using chest CT. Among 1,384 patients, 5.0% had GGNs, with 39.1% showing growth. Older age, part-solid nodules, and multiple GGNs were significant growth predictors. Confirmed lung cancer cases (0.9%) were exclusively adenocarcinomas, with 69.2% displaying EGFR mutations. GGNs were monitored using AVIEW for volume doubling time, aiding the identification of high-risk nodules. This study underscores the necessity of vigilant GGN monitoring, especially in patients with breast cancer, to enable early lung cancer detection and improve outcomes. Despite limitations like sample size and manual measurement reliance, the findings provide valuable insights for refining surveillance protocols. Future research should focus on broader populations and enhanced imaging technologies to mitigate measurement inaccuracies.