The Histopathology of Mammographie Patterns

Abstract

Fisher, Edwin R., Palekar, Alka, Kim, Wha Sun, and Redmond, Carol: The histopathology of mammographie patterns. Am J Clin Pathol 69: 421-426,1978. No significant correlation between the types of histologic alteration and various mammographie densities as described by Wolfe was found in specimen mammograms from 50 patients with cancer of the breast and a similar number with fibrocystic disease except for a greater incidence of fibrous mazoplasia in the “highest-risk” densities designated DY. This information is inconsistent with prevailing views that relate such risk for the development of mammary cancer to proliferative fibrocystic disease, vis-à-vis epithelial rather than stromal proliferation. This observation does not necessarily mitigate claims of risk attendant with various mammographie patterns, but indicates the need for further evaluation of this stromal alteration as a discriminant in this regard.