[Environment of invasive breast carcinoma. Morphological and epidemiological study]

In a retrospective study, the authors have observed different types among 180 breast invasive carcinomas, their environment and their epidemiology. Tumors consisted in 158 invasive ductal carcinomas, 11 invasive lobular carcinomas and 11 special forms. The benign environment was divided in 3 groups: no epithelial lesion (1/5 cases), "mastosis simple" (3/5) (elementary lesions more or less associated, exceptionally isolated, diffuse or focal), the last, 1/5, corresponded to a "mastosis complex" defined as the significant association of the same elementary lesions (minimum 3 to 4), diffuse, with some degree of dysplasia and always an intraductal hyperplasia, of any type. The confrontation of these environments with carcinoma types and grades and with some epidemiological data allowed: 1) To opposite intraductal hyperplasias, mainly "mastosis complex", to other environments; 2) to discuss a) "mastosis complex" position in relation to cancer, b) an eventual lobular origin for precancerous lesions and c) individualization of epidemiological factors in relation to development of malignant tumors.