The pathologic basis for breast cancer management

The pathologist's report on breast cancers should include information that assists the clinician to select therapy, estimate prognosis, and evaluate the efficacy of therapy. Of great significance are the size and contour of the primary cancer, histologic type, differentiation, vascular invasion, the total number of lymph nodes extirpated, the number of metastases, and whether the metastases are micrometastases (less than 2 mm) or macrometastases.