[Histological grading and prognosis of breast cancer]

According to the standard histological grading (formation of glandular structures, differentiation and mitosis of the cancer cells), totally 826 cases of breast cancer were graded into three groups, including: grade I: 291 cases, 35.2%, grade II: 412 cases, 49.9%, and grade III: 123 cases, 14.9%. The 5-year and 10-year survival rates were as follows: grade I: 78.4%(228/291) and 56.5%(148/262); grade II: 51.2%(211/412) and 35.2%(125/355); and grade III: 44.7%(55/123) and 29.0%(31/107) respectively. Among 599 breast cancer cases, there were 293 accompanied with lymph nodes positive to cancer cells (48.9%). The relationships between patients with lymph nodes positive to cancer cells and the histological grading were: grade I 41.4%(92/222); grade II 48.8%(137/281) and grade III 66.7%(64/96) and all were significant statistically. In this studied group, cancer cell emboli were found in 287 cases (34.7%) including: grade I 20.6%; grade II 41.5% and grade III 45.6%. Those cancers with high cell differentiation gave a low incidence of cancer cell embolus.