THE MORPHOLOGY OF BENIGN AND MALIGNANT DISEASES OF THE BREAST - MASTOPATHY AND CARCINOMA

Radiologists and pathologists play the most important role in the diag nosis of breast diseases. The combination of mammographic and cytologi cal investigations can lead to the determination of which lesions requ ire an operation and which do not. Fibroadenomas, mastopathies and car cinomas are the most common histological diagnoses. It is necessary to decide which type of mastopathy (atypical intraductal or intralobular hyperplasia) might involve a higher risk of carcinoma. When classifyi ng carcinomas, the pathologist must give details about prognostic fact ors such as staging (pTN status), histological typing, grading, and ho rmone receptors (oestrogen and gestagen).