Electrolytes and pH of mammary cyst fluid and their relation to cyst pathology

ABSTRACT

The relation between intracystic levels of Na+, K+, Na+/K+ ratio, pH and the cytologic appearance of fluid contents and the histopathology of gross mammary cysts was studied in 182 gross mammary cysts. Na+ level was inversely correlated to K+ level [P <0.001]. Two types of cysts were identified The first group [105 cysts] with Na+/K+ ratio <3 and the lining was mainly metaplastic apocrine epithelium, the second group [77 cysts] Na+/K+ ratio was >3 and the lining was flattened ductal epithelium. Na+K+ was also found to be inversely correlated with the degree of epithelial hyperplasia of the cyst wall [P <0.005]. Poor correlation, however, was found between cytologic appearance of cyst fluid contents and the degree of hyperplasia