Minute carcinomas of the breast in a histologic and mammographic comparison

Abstract

Minute carcinomas of the breast in 24 cases with a diameter of maximal 0.5 cm (Group I) were compared with infiltrating carcinomas with a tumour diameter of 1.8 to 2.4 cm (Group II). Qualitative differences to larger carcinomas were found. Microscopically minute carcinomas of group I showed a significantly higher number of lobular and medullary structures, lower malignancy grades I and II of Bloom were found. Lymph vessel invasion and axillary metastases were found less often. The radiological size of minute carcinomas was greater than there microscopic diameter in contradistinction to larger carcinomas which showed a good correlation between microscopic and radiologic diameter of the tumour. The covering tissue rich in fibroblasts and poor in fibers of minute carcinomas is responsible for this difference. The stroma portions rich in fibers of larger carcinomas are responsible for the characteristic spiculae formations in the mammography. The fiber poor tissue around minute carcinomas showed non-characteristic radiological findings. New radiological findings in the contralateral breast especially when combined with micro-calcifications and parenchymal structures P2 and Dy of Wolfe require an immediate biopsy and were found more often in both groups.