Evaluation of the different techniques utilized in diagnosing breast lesions.

This study demonstrates the practical advantage of using more than one technique in evaluating breast tumors. Thionin stained, frozen sections and H & E stained, paraffin-embedded, permanent sections yielded a high degree of accuracy in differentiating benign from malignant lesions. Papanicolaou stain is essential for evaluating cytologic material. Special stains, enzyme histochemistry, and examination by SEM and transmission microscopy are essential in identifying the various cellular components of mammary tumors. On the basis of these techniques, fibroadenomas were defined as tumors of stromal cells of the lobule and sclerosing adenosis as a benign proliferation of myoepithelial cells; and it was suggested that mammary cancers may arise from myoepithelial ductal epithelial, or ductular epithelial cells. The behavior of the tumor is related to its cell of origin.