FINE NEEDLE ASPIRATION OF BREAST-CARCINOMA - PRELIMINARY CYTOPROGNOSTIC STUDY

  • 1 January 1980
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 24  (2) , 153-159
Abstract
A cytologic grading method for fine needle aspiration smears was applied to 178 histologically confirmed breast carcinomas. Grade I defined a well-differentiated carcinoma, grade II a carcinoma with pleomorphic tumor cells and grade II an anaplastic carcinoma. The cell-to-cell relationship (topography) and the cytologic criteria contributed to the grading. Special attention was paid to grade III tumors which have an unfavorable prognosis. The correlation of grading with the clinical course of the disease was evaluated after a 12 mo. follow-up. In 4% of the patients with grade I disease, 8.9% with grade II and 66% with grade III, local recurrence of disease, metastasis or death was observed within 1 yr. The contribution of cytologic grading to the prognosis of breast cancers is discussed.