title: Hormone receptor levels and aspiration cytology in cancer of the breast.
abstract: The cytopathologic findings of 196 cases of cancer of the breast were correlated with the hormonal receptor levels. The strict cytologic criteria that allow a positive diagnosis to be used as bases for definitive treatment include adequate cellularity, lack of cohesion, and nuclear abnormalities, including increased nuclear size. On this basis, 58% of the carcinomas of the breast, including 62% of the 157 infiltrating duct carcinomas but none of 12 infiltrating lobular carcinomas, could be diagnosed by aspiration smears alone. Seventy-four per cent of the carcinomas were estrogen-receptor-positive. No correlation could be demonstrated between the cytologic pattern and diagnosis and the level of estrogen, progesterone, or androgen receptors, alone or in any combination.
mesh_terms: D001707:Biopsy, Needle; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000032:analysis*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D011944:Receptors, Androgen / Q000032:analysis; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface / Q000032:analysis*; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen / Q000032:analysis; D011980:Receptors, Progesterone / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D011944:Receptors, Androgen; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen; D011980:Receptors, Progesterone