The pathogenesis of breast carcinoma in very elderly women is of interest, because oestrogen levels are likely to be extremely low during the development of the disease. In an effort to understand the pathogenesis of breast carcinoma in these women, this study was undertaken to compare the histological patterns and hormone receptor status of breast carcinomas arising in very elderly and younger women.
Human Tissue Research Group, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Gerontology, Department of Breast Pathology, Cancer Institute, Tokyo, Japan. nhonma@tmig.or.jp
