title: Prognostic value of desmoplastic reaction and lymphocytic infiltration in the management of breast cancer.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To ascertain whether the prognostic value of desmoplastic reaction and lymphocytic infiltration are a good prognostic index to estimate survival in breast cancer patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  From 1987 to 1994, the authors have evaluated the prognostic value of desmoplastic reaction and lymphocytic infiltration related to rode state in 34 patients with breast cancer. For statistical analysis and comparison of means the "t"-test was used. The significance level was 0.01.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The group of patients with abundant desmoplastic reaction shows an overall survival rate lower than the group with poor desmoplastic reaction (p < 0.01) and the survival of the group with abundant desmoplastic reaction was related to lymphnodal status.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Many prognostic factors have been shown during these years, some connected to patient, some connected to neoplasm and others connected to the treatment. Recently many other prognostic factors have been recognized, among which the possible prognostic role of desmoplasia has been carefully valued. Certainly, today the prognostic value of desmoplastic reaction and lymphocytic infiltration cannot take the place of usual prognostic factors in the evaluation of breast cancer patient yet the desmoplastic reaction is a good prognostic index to estimate the survival in these patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gynaecology and Obstetrics, School of Medicine, II University of Naples, Italy.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cardone
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tolino
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Zarcone
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Borruto Caracciolo
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Tartaglia
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016246:Lymphocytes, Tumor-Infiltrating / Q000473:pathology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis