Cyclical mastalgia and breast pathology.

Histologic examination of mammary tissue from 39 patients with cyclical mastalgia and 68 with no mastalgia disclosed that fibrocystic disease was not in itself the cause of the cyclical condition. Nor did the study support the traditional concept of a relationship between major dysfunction of the internal genital organs and cyclical mastalgia. Although the organic basis for cyclical mastalgia is unknown, several observations strongly suggest that it is located in the mammary stroma. Future investigations of the organic basis for cyclical mastalgia should include the mammary stroma.