ELECTRON MICROSCOPIC STUDIES OF JUNCTION OF TUMOR AND CONNECTIVE TISSUE IN BREAST CARCINOMA OF WOMEN

An electron microscopic study was made of the Tumor-connectine tissue junction of 36 breast carcinomas, of 1 fibroadenoma, and of 1 proliferating mastopathy. The basement membranes were seen in the fibroadenoma and the proliferating mastopathy but normally were lacking in the mammary gland carcinomas. The malignant epithel cells adjoined the contiguous connective tissue by either smooth or irregular cell membranes. The irregularity of the cell membranes is interpreted as the submicroscopic equivalent of two different biological processes at the junction of tumor and connective tissue: 1) the phagocytosis of fibrin and red blood cells; 2) the reaction between antigen and antibody. The connective tissue surrounding the tumor showed increased activity of fibroblasts. Collagen fibres appeard newly formed. Muscle cells with increased metabolism were found. In two cases the peritumorous tissue showed an excessive abundance of lymphocytes suggesting a local immunological reaction of the organism against neoplastic tissue. In one case mast cells were found increased in the connective tissue. A reaction of heparin against hyaluronidasis is discussed. The prognosis of a malignant tumor is the sum of many complex, temporarily different biological factors. © 1969 Springer-Verlag.