[Clinicopathological study of breast cancer--histologic tumor border and prognosis]

Based on histologic observations, tumor borders of 730 breast cancer patients were divided into five categories of border grade (BG); BG I (noninvasive), BG II (pushing), BG III (desmoplastic infiltrating), BG IV (nondesmoplastic infiltrating), and BG V (disseminating). From BG I to BG V, both the percentage of lymph node metastasis and four or more nodal metastases increased gradually, and the same results were obtained in various cases of the same tumor size. Further, tumor emboli in lymphatics were found only in the cases showing a tumor border above BG III, and more frequently detected with the increase in border grade. Therefore it was confirmed that histologic tumor borders not only exhibit the spreading fashions of breast cancer cells in the primary site, but also correlate with the lymphogenous metastasis very closely. Patients with either BG IV or BG V showed lower survival rates.