Frequency of benign and malignant breast lesions in 207 consecutive autopsies in Australian women
1985

Breast Lesions in Australian Women

Sample size: 207 publication Evidence: moderate

Author Information

Author(s): P.S. Bhathall, R.W. Brown, G.C. Lesueur, I.S. Russell

Primary Institution: The Royal Melbourne Hospital

Hypothesis

What is the frequency and types of breast lesions found in Australian women?

Conclusion

The study found a high frequency of atypical hyperplasia and carcinoma in situ among the breast lesions examined.

Supporting Evidence

  • A high frequency of atypical hyperplasia (12.6%) and carcinoma in situ (13.0%) was found.
  • 46.3% of women had cysts greater than 1 mm.
  • 84.6% of women had some form of epithelial proliferation.
  • Focal secretory change was found in 24.1% of cases.
  • Radial scars were present in 7.7% of the women.

Takeaway

The study looked at breast tissue from women who had died and found many different types of breast lesions, some of which could lead to cancer.

Methodology

The study involved examining breast tissue from 207 women who underwent forensic autopsies, with at least 10 tissue blocks taken from each breast.

Potential Biases

Potential bias due to the exclusion of women with known breast carcinoma and the forensic context of the autopsies.

Limitations

The study was limited to women of European descent and did not include detailed drug histories due to the forensic nature of the autopsies.

Participant Demographics

Women aged 15 to 97 years, all of European descent.

Statistical Information

P-Value

p<0.001

Statistical Significance

p<0.001

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