ISSN:
1432-0711
Keywords:
Small breast cancer
;
Natural history of breast cancer
;
Precursor of breast cancer
;
Carcinogenesis
Source:
Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000
Topics:
Medicine
Notes:
Summary Among 898 breast carcinomas treated surgically between 1976 and 1980, exact microscopic measurement revealed 60 nodular breast carcinomas (6.7%) with a maximum diameter of 10 mm or less. Eleven of these lesions (1.2%) had a maximum diameter of 5 mm or less. Macroscopic diameter estimates were always 20–30% smaller than those measured by microscopy. These small tumours were seen in radiologically aimed biopsies or subcutaneous mastectomy specimens. Five minute breast cancers from the years 1971–1975 were included in the study. With the exception of a purely colloidal differentiated carcinoma, all small breast carcinomas were found in precancerous fields. Duct carcinoma in situ (60 out of 65) was far more prevalent than lobular carcinoma in situ (15 out of 65). Tubular differentiation in early invasive tumours was very frequently observed as were solid components or a mixture of both. All other forms of differentiation were rare. Thirty of the 65 small carcinomas were located at the edge of the parenchyma, a typical siting for breast carcinoma. Thirty-four of 65 small breast carcinomas had at their centre obliterated ducts with periductal elastosis. Twelve small carcinomas originated in preexisting “stellate scars”. Duct obliteration and periductal elastosis do not give rise to cancer but mark the site of active transformation and hence the “at-risk-zone” for cancerogenesis. One out of 16 tumours with a maximum diameter of 5 mm or less had an axillary metastasis, the figure was four out of 49 for carcinomas between 5 and 10 mm in diameter (and two of these metastases were multiple) and five out of 65 (7.7%) for all tumours not exceeding 10 mm in diameter.
Type of Medium:
Electronic Resource
URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/BF02110119
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