Extensive intraduct component in invasive duct carcinoma of the breast: prevalence and significance in a south Asian setting.

Extensive intraduct component (EIC) in invasive duct carcinoma is one of the main factors affecting local cancer recurrence and thereby a major consideration in breast conserving therapy. A retrospective study was undertaken to assess the prevalence of extensive intraductal component in a South Asian setting. 105 cases of invasive duct carcinoma reported at a University Pathology Department during a 75 month period from January 1992, were reviewed. 48.6 percent of all cases assessed had an intraductal component. 13.3 percent had an EIC. Of the seventy-two T1 and T2 tumours reviewed 5.6 percent showed EIC. The results of this study indicate that by virtue of its low prevalence. EIC in infiltrating ductal cancer is unlikely to be a major obstacle in the decision of breast conserving therapy in the South Asian region.

Breast cancer: do histopathology reports provide adequate information for patient care?

INTRODUCTION: Many studies have shown that certain pathologic features correlate with risk of recurrence, development of nodal and distant metastases, long term survival and multicentricity of breast carcinoma. Such information is useful in selection of appropriate therapy and prognostication. OBJECTIVE: To determine the proportion of histopathology reports of breast carcinoma that provide essential pathologic prognostic information. METHOD: All (110 mastectomy and 25 lumpectomy) cases of breast carcinoma reported during 79-month period from January 1992 were assessed for inclusion of tumour size, information on excision margins and 8 microscopic features. Mastectomy reports were evaluated for information on axillary lymph node status. RESULTS: 9.6% of reports assessed included all relevant features. All 110 mastectomy reports gave information on axillary lymph node status. Tumour size was included in 91.1% of reports. Excision margins were commented on in 36% of lumpectomy reports. Of the microscopic features assessed, tumour type was included in 98.5% and histologic grade in 66.7%. In formation on other features ranged from 28.1% for inflammatory infiltrate at the tumour-host interface to 69.1% for nipple invasion. CONCLUSION: Reporting on basic prognostic information falls short of the ideal. Provision of guidelines will help to ensure the inclusion of relevant histopathologic prognostic information.

A single pathological grading system for breast carcinoma should be adopted in Sri Lanka.

INTRODUCTION: Histologic grading of breast cancer is related to prognosis and management of patients. The grading systems used are the initially formulated subjective methods, and the more recently described objective Nottingham system. In Sri Lanka there is lack of uniformity in histopathology reporting of breast cancer. All methods used employ 3 grades. If histologic grading is to be of clinical relevance, it is important that the grades of different systems correlate with one another. OBJECTIVE: To determine if the three grades of the Nottingham system correlate with those of the other systems. SETTING: Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, Colombo. METHOD: 54 breast carcinomas were graded using the Nottingham system by reviewing histology slides. The Nottingham grading was compared with the original grading mentioned in the histology report. RESULTS: The original reports included 35 tumours graded with systems other than Nottingham. 45.7% of these tumours did not correspond with the subsequent Nottingham grade. 40% had to be upgraded from grade II to III. When the 19 tumours originally graded using the Nottingham system were re-evaluated using the same system, there was concurrence in 89.5% of the cases. CONCLUSION: Our results indicate a failure of other grading systems to correlate with the corresponding Nottingham grade in a high proportion of cases. We recommend the adoption of a single, objective grading system such as the Nottingham method by all clinicians in Sri Lanka.