Breast disease. A clinical study with special reference to diagnostic procedures.

A consecutive series of 1.310 women with breast complaints and a control group of 241 healthy women were examined by clinical examination and mammography. The majority of the palpable and non-palpable lesions were preoperatively classified on a four-point scale according to the degree of suspicion of malignancy. A similar classification was performed after mammography as well as after aspiration biopsy. Some aspects of the case-histories including a positive family history of breast carcinoma, marital status and breast feeding were studied in women with breast complaints and compared to the findings in a control group of women. Previous breast disease, mode of detection, delay and breast symptoms were also studied...