Intracytoplasmic lumina of benign and malignant breast diseases--a light and electron microscopic study

Intracytoplasmic lumina (ICLs) of 70 cases with breast carcinoma and 29 cases with benign breast diseases were observed by light and electron microscopy. ICLs were morphologically divided into two types. Type A was characterized by the presence of secretory materials stained with eosin in the lumen and Type B by the cytoplasmic vacuoles under light microscope. Electron microscopic observation on Type A ICLs showed numerous filiform microvilli projecting towards the lumen and various amounts of secretory materials in the lumen. Type B of ICLs only had scanty and short microvilli and rarely secretory materials in the lumen. The results indicated that: 1. The frequency of ICLs in breast cancer was significantly higher than that in benign breast disease (P less than 0.01). 2. The frequency of ICLs in breast cancer showed strong negative correlation with its histological grades but not with its histological types. 3. ICLs had similar frequency under both light and electron microscopes. As a relatively specific structure in breast carcinoma cells, ICLs may be helpful in the diagnosis of breast carcinoma and establishment of the breast origin for metastatic carcinoma.