Cytological criteria of breast cancer for the purpose of mass screening is studied. Method of cytological examination must be aspiration biopsy smear, because the positive ratio of nipple discharge to diagnose the cancer is not so adequate. Staining of preparation have been done by means of May-Giemsa method.
State of cell cluster, size of cells, color of cytoplasm, position of nuclei, shape of nuclei, size of nuclei, state of nuclear border and chromatin, size and numbers of nucleoli etc. have been observed about each cell of 100 cells of one preparation in the cases with carcinoma, mastopathy and fibroadenoma. 30 cases of diseases, above mentioned, were studied.
1) Over 20 μ of nuclear diameter means positive cytology. If largest nucleus in one preparation is under 10 μ, it means negative cytology.
2) Over 5μ of nucleolar diameter means positive, and over 5 nucleoli are observed, it means also positive.
3) Few cell between the cell clusters of smear preparation, it means negative. Many cells are scattered between the small clusters of preparation, it may be diagnosed as positive.
4) The largest nuclear diameter shows 2 times as the smallest one in one cell cluster, it means positive cytology, Degenerative nuclei for example pyknoticor karyolytic, have to be distinguished from the cells which keep the distinct chromatin structure.
5) Hyperchromatic nuclei in the cluster are smaller as nuclei which keep the clear chromatin structure, it means negative cytology.
6) The typical structure of the breast cancer cells obtained by aspiration is as follows. Nuclear border is not clear, chromatin is very fine and distributed evenly in the nucleus, and nucleolus has sometimes intranucleolar vacuoles.
