[Relation of epithelial metaplasia and calcification with epithelial proliferation in fibrocytic breast disease]

By semiserial microscopic investigation of the complete tissue of 65 surgical excised fibrocystic lesion of female breast we have found that there exist (a) the high frequency (58.5%) of the apocrine metaplastic epithelium, predominantly located in lobules and topographically widely distributed (mean 9 focuses on a sample), (b) the rare occurrence (3%) of lobular and ductal squamous metaplasia and (c) the high frequency (40%) of sparse (mean 3 focuses on a sample) lobular calcifications. Statistically, apocrine metaplasia and calcifications were significantly (p < 0.001 and p < 0.01) more frequent in the samples of proliferative fibrocystic lesions. The level of the positive spacial correlation (O = 0.512) of proliferative and apocrine metaplastic epithelial changes, as well as a common stratification and papillation of the apocrine epithelium indicate indirectly a possible influence of a steroid hormonal unbalance in the promotion of the apocrine epithelial metaplasia.