[Node status in 454 ductal breast cancers cases according to the association with in situ component]

Studies have shown that breast infiltrating ductal carcinoma develops from precursor lesions or pre-invasive. It is accepted that the risk of invasive ductal carcinoma increased slightly in hyperplasia, but especially in cases of atypical hyperplasia and intraductal carcinoma.

To evaluate and compare the nodal status between ductal breast cancer with in situ component (group 1) or without it (group 2).

Descriptive and retrospective study that included 454 ductal breast cancers. Data concerning clinical and pathological variables was collected. All data was compared between both groups.

Among all cases, 176 (38.8%) showed positive lymph nodes, 136 patients (39.5%) from group 1 and 40 cases (36.4%) from group 2. Among group 1 cases, high-grade subgroup showed higher positive lymph node rate (82 cases, 55.4%) than the extensive in situ carcinomas subgroup (84 cases, 49.7%). Both of them had a significant higher rate than group 2 cases (p = 0.003 y p = 0.028, respectively). Moreover, the low-grade in situ carcinomas without cellular necrosi had positive lymph nodes just in 30 cases (24%), significantly lower (p = 0.034) than group 2.

We did not find overall statistical differences between groups depending on in situ associated component. But when we analyzed in situ subgroups, we found differences with higher positive lymph node rate in high grade carcinomas and extensive in situ carcinomas subgroups, while lower affectation rates were observed in low grade carcinomas (without cellular necrosis), compared to the group of breast cancers without in situ component associated.