Quantitative dermatoglyphic study of the finger ridge count in breast carcinoma patients from Northeastеrn Bulgaria

The present study aimed to assess the relationship between the results from a quantitative dermatoglyphic analysis of the finger ridge count and the predisposition for developing breast cancer.The fingerprints of 82 breast carcinoma female patients diagnosed by histological and mammographic investigations were obtained and compared to 60 female controls from Northeastеrn Bulgaria. The fingerprints were obtained by classical ink method. The finger ridge count was determined by the method of Cummins and Midlo.The total finger ridge count (TFRC) showed statistically significant difference between the patients and the controls on the first and second finger of the right hand and on the second and third finger of the left hand. Due to statistically significant differences of TFRC on some of the fingers, we discovered differences in the descending formulas in the two observed groups. Descending formulas on the fingers of the breast carcinoma patients compared with the controls on the left hand were respectively 2>4>1>5>3 vs 2>1>4>5>3, and on the right hand 1>2>4>3>5 vs 4>1>3>2>5, respectively. Statistical significance was examined by SPSS 18.0 software.Our data indicated that a dermatoglyphic analysis could be utilized as a fast inexpensive supportive screening tool for the early diagnostics of breast cancer