Microinvasive carcinoma of the breast: can it be diagnosed reliably and isit clinically significant?

Deciding whether in-situ breast carcinoma is associated with microinvasion is a common problem. Histological features resembling invasion can be simul ated by in-situ carcinoma distorted by inflammatory and reparative changes. Having expended the effort to diagnose genuine microinvasion, just how use ful is this diagnosis in planning further treatment and follow-up In the fo llowing articles, Hoda et al. comment on the utility of immunohistochemistr y in resolving uncertainty about the presence of microinvasion, and Ellis e t al. critically appraise the definition of microinvasion and its clinical significance.