EVALUATION OF A CYTOLOGICAL SCORING SYSTEM FOR PREDICTING HISTOLOGICAL GRADE AND DISEASE-FREE SURVIVAL IN PRIMARY BREAST-CANCER

A simple cytological scoring system was evaluated as a method of predi cting histological grade and disease-free survival in 79 patients with primary breast cancer. The mitotic activity index and oestrogen recep tor status were also assessed for their predictive value. The concorda nce between cytological scores and histological grades was good (80%) for low-grade lesions, but poor (45%) for high-grade lesions. Similar results were found using the mitotic activity index as a prognostic in dicator. Cytological grading was not found to be an independent progno stic indicator after a median follow up of 8 years.