In fifty non selected ductal carcinomas of the breast we found that a marked tumoral inflammatory infiltrate (P < 0.025), perinodal tumoral infiltrate (P < 0.01), sinus catarrh (P < 0.05), follicular hyperplasia (P < 0.025), mixed pattern in lymph nodes (P < 0.01) and with 54 years of age or younger (P < 0.01) correlated significantly with lymph node metastases and/or high histologic grade. On the contrary, elastosis (P < 0.05), scanty or absent inflammatory infiltrate (P < 0.01), sinus histiocytosis (P < 0.001) and endothelial hyperplasia were statistically related to low histologic grade and/or lack of metastases. Elastosis is considered a defensive host response. Groups of lymphocytes in the perinodal fat is usually found in metastasized lymph nodes and may indicate metastasis should be sought in a lymph node which otherwise seems to be tumor-free.
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