Expansion of Masood's cytologic index for breast carcinoma and its validity

BACKGROUND: The incidence of breast carcinoma is increasing in developing countries due to adoption of western life-style. Fine-needle aspiration cytology is the initial method to evaluate the palpable breast lesions. The neoadjuvant therapy is helpful in treating high grade rather than low grade breast carcinomas. Masood cytologic index (MCI) delineates all the breast lesions into four groups. The carcinoma group is not graded further. AIM: The present study proposes a method for the expansion of carcinoma group into three grades. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 50 breast carcinoma cases were prospectively studied by comparing expansion of MCI with modified bloom Richardson (MBR) grading over a period of 3 years. RESULTS: Altogether 43/50 cases (86%) had concordance with histopathological grading. The analysis revealed a R2 value of 60%, which was significant. The P value of anisonucleosis, nucleoli and chromatin pattern were 0.001, 0.049 and 0.02 respectively, which were significant. CONCLUSIONS: The present study with the expansion of carcinoma category of MCI into three grades similar to MBR will help the treating surgeon to plan the management accordingly. The results obtained in this study need to be subjected to multicentric study with a large number of cases.