Summary
Revista Brasileira de Ginecologia e Obstetrícia. 2000;22(9):593-596
DOI 10.1590/S0100-72032000000900009
Paracoccidioidomycosis is an important systemic endemic mycosis in Latin America. This infection is usually acquired via inhalation of mycelial particles. Most infected subjects develop an asymptomatic infection, which is associated with various host-related factors such as sex, age, genetic, as well as characteristics of the infecting agent, mainly its virulence. It is a systemic pathology. A case of mastitis due to paracoccidioidomycosis is presented with the objective to demonstrate that elderly patients with a breast abscess should be submitted to biopsy.
Summary
Revista Brasileira de Ginecologia e Obstetrícia. 2001;23(1):41-45
DOI 10.1590/S0100-72032001000100006
Purpose: the morphologic and morphometric aspects of the breasts of rats in permanent estrus submitted to danazol were studied. Methods: the animals were divided into three groups: group A (n = 12) received water and was used as control, group B (n = 13) was exposed to 20 mg danazol kg-1 day-1, and group C (n = 10) was exposed to 80 mg danazole kg-1 day-1 for 35 consecutive days. The microscopic study evaluated the ductal and acinar distribution. Histometry of the relationship duct/stroma was based on the principles of stereology with a Zeiss k-10X ocular, with Integrationsplatte I reticulum of Weibel of 25 hits, with 100X magnification. For each studied section, 10 aleatoric fields were counted, with a total of 250 points. The variance analysis test (Kruskal-Wallis) was applied to compare the three groups in relation to the mean number of alveoli and ducts (alpha = 0.05). Results: when submitted to morphological study, all groups presented lobules with alveoli lined with cubic cells with nuclei in their central or basal portion. Small amounts of eosinophilic material were observed in some cases in the lumen, with no differences between the groups. At morphometry, with a magnification of 100X, a mean number of 28.6 ducts/10 fields was found in group A, 28.4 in group B and 29.2 in group C (Kruskal-Wallis test: Hcrit = 0.1). The mean number of alveoli in 10 fields was 5.9, 9.3 and 6.5 in groups A, B and C, respectively (Kruskal-Wallis test: Hcrit = 2.9), with no significant differences between the groups. Conclusion: danazol did not cause any changes in the morphology and morphometry of the permanent estrus mammary epithelium.
Summary
Revista Brasileira de Ginecologia e Obstetrícia. 2001;23(5):321-327
DOI 10.1590/S0100-72032001000500008
Purpose: to determine the relationship between fine needle aspiration cytology guided by ultrasound of nonpalpable breast lesions (cystic or solid masses) with the ultrasound and histopathological features of the biopsy lesions. Methods: a total of 617 nonpalpable lesions were analyzed by ultrasound. Fine needle aspiration cytology was guided by ultrasonography and the cysts were distinguished from the solid masses by comparing the biopsies. The cytologic results were compared with the histological results in the case surgical biopsy was carried out. Results: of the 617 nonpalpable lesions 471 were cysts (451 simple cysts with 100% negative cytology and 20 cases were considered complex cysts; 3 (15%) of these had a positive or suspected cytology and in 2 cases malignancy was confirmed. There were 105 solid masses, 63 of them with negative cytology. Fifty-nine cases had a negative biopsy, and 4 cases (0.3%) were false-negative but all of them presented disagreement between the cytological and image features; in 14 cases (13%) there was a suspected cytology and in 5 of them carcinoma was confirmed; in 14 cases (13%), the samples were insufficient, 1 case was carcinoma and in 51 cases, a triple diagnosis was concordant and the lesions were followed-up. Conclusion: cytological analysis of simple cysts is not required, but when they are complex, cytological analysis is mandatery. In the case of nonpalpable solid masses, cytology must be correlated with ultrasound and mammography features. If the results are discordant, the lesion should be followed-up.
Summary
Revista Brasileira de Ginecologia e Obstetrícia. 2001;23(2):77-82
DOI 10.1590/S0100-72032001000200003
Purpose: to evaluate the nonpharmacologic treatment (reassurance) as a first line therapy for women with cyclical mastalgia, and to observe if a prolonged course of pain alters the outcome. Methods: we conducted a noncontrolled experimental study with a sample of 128 eligible women with a clear history of cyclical mastalgia treated with reassurance. A visual linear analogical scale of the pain was used before and after treatment in order to assess its severity and the mastalgias were classified into degrees I (mild), II (moderate) and III (severe) according to the intensity of pain. We also used a modified Cardiff Breast Score (CBS) to assess the clinical response. The data analysis was performed using the chi² test (Epi-Info 6.04 software). Results: we verified a success rate of 59.4% with reassurance, but there was no significant statistical difference between the groups (p = 0.16) with different degrees of mastalgia. The less satisfactory response to the nonpharmacologic treatment in those pacients with a prolonged course of pain was only apparent, since there was no significant statistical difference (p = 0.14). Conclusion: reassurance should be always tried as the first choice treatment for women with cyclical mastalgia, independently of pain intensity. Prolonged course of pain did not alter the outcome.
Summary
Revista Brasileira de Ginecologia e Obstetrícia. 2001;23(9):605-607
DOI 10.1590/S0100-72032001000900009
Actinomycosis of the breast is a rare inflammatory disease that has been infrequently reported. It can be primary actinomycosis of the breast, when caused by lesions of the mammary skin and secondary, when there is thoracic or pleural infection; it has extremely variable clinical presentations and may simulate mastitis and malignancies such as inflammatory carcinoma. The diagnosis is confirmed by culture and by finding typical actinomycotic colonies. The usual treatment is surgical drainage and intravenous and oral long-term administration of antibiotics. The authors present a case of actinomycosis of the breast in a 12-week pregnant woman who presented a tumor in the left breast.
Summary
Revista Brasileira de Ginecologia e Obstetrícia. 2001;23(8):507-513
DOI 10.1590/S0100-72032001000800005
Purpose: to evaluate the effect of hormone replacement therapy on breast cell proliferation and on collagen and elastic fiber formation and to analyze the changes occurring in the breast parenchyma as a whole. Method: a total of 61 adult Wistar rats were divided into 5 groups. The standard group (12 rats) represented the normal hormonal ovarian status. The remaining 49 rats were oophorectomized and, starting on the 96th P.O. day, received the specific drug for 30 days. The CEE group received 50 mg/day conjugated equine estrogens (13 rats); the MPA group, 2.0 mg/day medroxyprogesterone acetate (12 rats); the CEE + MPA group, both drugs (12 rats), and the DW group, distilled water (12 rats). On the 31st day of medication, the animals were sacrificed and the inguinal mammary glands were removed for histological analysis. Cell proliferation was assessed at the ductal and acinar levels using anti-PCNA antibody. Mature collagen (type I) and immature collagen (type III) were quantified by Sirius-Red staining, and elastic fiber formation was quantified by Weigert staining. Anatomopathological analysis was performed by hematoxylin-eosin staining, with the determination of number of acini per terminal duct, number of ducts per field, presence of intraductal secretion, and intensity of intracytoplasmic vacuolization. Results: the CEE + MPA group presented a smaller percentage of proliferating ductal cells (46.1%) (p<0.0001) and a greater proliferation of acinar cells (66.3%), similar to those detected in the MPA group (p=0.075) but differing from those detected in the remaining groups (p<0.004). The CEE group showed the largest amount of immature collagen (33.6%) (p<0.01) and the MPA group showed the highest concentration of elastic fibers (11.7%) (p<0.0001). The CEE + MPA and MPA groups showed secretory acinar hyperplasia that was intense (91.7%) in the CEE + MPA group and mild (41.7%) or moderate (58.3%) in the MPA group, but differering in both cases from the remaining groups (p<0,097). Conclusions: conjugated equine estrogens in combination with medroxyprogesterone inhibit ductal cell proliferation and stimulate acinar cell proliferation causing secretory acinar hyperplasia; conjugated horse estrogens intensify the formation of immature (type III) collagen, and medroxyprogesterone acetate increases the formation of elastic fibers.
Summary
Revista Brasileira de Ginecologia e Obstetrícia. 2001;23(8):499-504
DOI 10.1590/S0100-72032001000800004
Purpose: to evaluate factors that might influence the results of nonphamacological treatment (verbal guidance) in women with clinical mastalgia. Methods: an uncontrolled study of the experimental type was conducted on a sample of 128 women with a clear history of clinical mastalgia treated with verbal guidance. A visual analogue scale for pain was used before and after treatment to evaluate pain intensity and mastalgia was classified into grade I (mild), grade II (moderate) and grade III (severe) according to pain intensity. The Cardiff Breast Score (CBS), modified, was also used to evaluate the clinical response to treatment. Data were analyzed statistically using the chi² test (Epi-Info 6.04). Results: we noted that factors such as parity, menarche, age at first term delivery and breast-feeding had no significant effect (p=0.19, p=0.31, p=0.80 and p=0.54, respectively) on the results of nonpharmacological treatment (verbal guidance). On the other hand, when age was taken into consideration, 26 patients (78.8%) aged 40 years or older were found to benefi more from verbal guidance, with a significant difference (p=0.01) when compared to younger women. Conclusion: reproductive factors such as parity, menarche, age at first term delivery and breast-feeding did not affect the results of nonpharmacological treatment (verbal guidance), whereas the age factor had a specific and significant effect on the results.
Summary
Revista Brasileira de Ginecologia e Obstetrícia. 2002;24(9):585-591
DOI 10.1590/S0100-72032002000900004
Purpose: to report 15 breast cancer cases associated with pregnancy and to compare to a control group with breast ductal infiltrating carcinoma, evaluating clinical staging, metastatic axillary lymph node involvement, histopathologic aspects related to nuclear grade, histology grade and estrogen and progesterone hormonal receptors. Method: a retrospective study of 15 cases of patients with breast cancer associated with pregnancy, attended at Mastology Department in the Woman Health Reference Center, Pérola Byington Hospital, São Paulo, was done between September 1996 and April 2001. The evaluation of clinical staging, time of diagnosis and involved axillary lymph nodes was the main study basis. Also age, parity, histologic type, applied treatment, histologic characteristics regarding nuclear grade and histologic grade and the presence of hormonal receptors in the tumors were analyzed. Results: we observed that 7 patients (46.7%) presented a locally advanced breast cancer (clinical stage IIIA and IIIB) and that 3 patients (20%) presented a disseminated disease at the moment of diagnosis. The patients presented on average 2.4 involved axillary lymph nodes and in only one patient the lymph nodes were free of disease (6.6%). Regarding time of diagnosis, 40% of the tumors were diagnosed during the lactational period, 46.7% during the second trimester and 13.3% during the third trimester. The pregnant patients were compared to a control group of non-pregnant patients in the same age range, all of them with infiltrating breast carcinoma, and clinical staging, axillary lymph node involvement, nuclear grade, histologic grade and estrogen and progesterone hormonal receptors were evaluated. There was a statistically significant difference (p=0.0022) regarding clinical staging and axillary lymph node involvement (p=0.0017), and no statistically significant difference as concerns the remaining parameters. Conclusion: breast cancer associated with pregnancy is a neoplasia with a bad prognosis. There is no difference when comparing pregnant patients with non-pregnant patients in the same age range, the advanced clinical staging at the moment of diagnosis being the determinant factor for survival.