Mean nuclear area and histological grade of axillary-node tumour in breast cancer, related to prognosis.

In a series of 112 cases of breast carcinoma with metastases to the axillary nodes, the mean nuclear area (MNA) in the nodal tumour showed a relationship to survival time that was similar to that given by histological grading. Combination of the 2 measurements increases the possible use of the heterogeneity of the material, leading to a more individualized prognosis.

Oestrogen and progesterone receptor content and the distribution of histological grade in breast cancer.

Histological grading of 160 primary infiltrating breast carcinomas showed that both oestrogen and progesterone receptor status are strongly related to grade, tumours that are receptor positive tending to be of lower grade than the receptor negative. The nuclear factors used in grading were those that determined this association. In addition the absence/presence of both receptors was reflected in the grade present, beyond the correlation expected on the basis of either receptor alone.

Mast cells in the axillary nodes of breast cancer patients.

Mast cell counts on lymph nodes from 64 patients with infiltrating breast carcinoma showed that in the absence of metastases to any of the axillary nodes few mast cells were present. If metastases were present in any of these nodes, both those with and those without tumour showed higher mast cell counts. Thus it seems that it is the presence or absence of tumour in the axilla as a whole, rather than within the individual node, that is associated with the change in mast cell count.

Histological grade and efferent vascular invasion in human breast carcinoma.

Primary breast carcinomas (23) with axillary-node metastases that also showed tumour cells in the efferent nodal vessels, tended to be of higher histological grade than those (21) without efferent vascular invasion. Nuclear hyperchromatism and mitosis is the factor of importance to grading in this respect. This factor also differentiated between RE+ and RE- carcinomas in this material.

Oestrogen receptor values and histological grade in human breast cancer.

Histological grading of 126 oestrogen receptor positive and 81 oestrogen receptor negative breast carcinomas, using the WHO system, showed that some tumours in all grades had high receptor values, others low. There was no correlation between the receptor values and histological grade. It is suggested that factors other than the degree of dedifferentiation of the tumour may be responsible for the consistent tendency for receptor negative tumours to be placed in a high histological grade.