[Tubular carcinoma of the breast (clinico-morphological characteristics)]

The following four types of tubular carcinoma of the breast were identified as a result of the study of 39 cases: typical tubular carcinoma of the breast; tubular mammary carcinoma with ductal invasion; ductal invasive carcinoma with tubular structures predominating over more than half the area of section; ductal invasive carcinoma incorporating few tubular structures. A specific clinico-morphological picture and prognosis are peculiar to each type of carcinoma. Tubular carcinoma of the breast and ductal invasive tumor with predominant tubular structures have a favorable prognosis and a regional metastasis frequency of 23-28%, practically without distant metastases. Tubular carcinoma of the breast is considered an early form of ductal invasive carcinoma which develops into other histological patterns as tumor growth progresses.