Thermography as a risk indicator of breast cancer. Results of a study and a review of the recent literature.

Because of recent data suggesting that about 40% of patients with a positive thermogram may subsequently develop breast cancer, a review of the data from the Cincinnati Breast Cancer Detection Demonstration Project (BCDDP) was undertaken. Of the 1,260 patients with more than one positive thermogram from 1973 to 1976, 1.9% subsequently developed breast cancer from 1977 to 1983. That finding was not significantly different from the 1.3% of patients who developed cancer and never had a positive thermogram. A critical review of the recent literature on the subject reinforces the BCDDP findings.