Prognostic value of measurement of elastosis in breast carcinoma.

The extent of elastosis in the stroma within the anatomical "tumour" in 80 patients with breast carcinoma was assessed by observational microscopy using a 4-point grading system, and measured by semiautomated histometry as an area percentage with a Quantimet 720 image-analysing computer. In this retrospective study, measurement of elastosis in tissue removed at time of initial diagnosis was shown to have little value for prediction of duration of survival.