Abstract
From 1961 to 1966 a series of operable breast cancer patients were included in a prospective study of adjuvant surgical oophorectomy. All histologic slides from 279 patients have been re-evaluated and the different tumors classified according to a modified classification system in which invasive ductal carcinoma of comedo type is distinguished from invasive tubuloductal carcinoma. The study demonstrated shorter survival time and recurrence free interval for the comedo category than for the tubuloductal category. It also suggested a beneficial effect of adjuvant oophorectomy in tubuloductal carcinomas but not in comedo carcinomas. The findings support the use of a modified histologic classification for prognostic purposes and suggest a beneficial effect of adjuvant oophorectomy in the treatment of tubuloductal carcinoma of the breast. Further studies concerning adjuvant oophorectomy are needed, especially regarding possible differences in its effect in different histologic categories.