| Abstract
| - Two hundred fifty-six patients who had a radical mastectomy were investigated for blood vessel invasion in the primary tumor (TBVI); and 106 of these patients with regional lymph node metastasis were examined for blood vessel invasion within and in the vicinity of the involved lymph node (NBVI). Patients with positive TBVI showed a higher incidence of blood-borne distant metastases, particularly those associated with regional node metastases. Further analysis of NBVI among 106 patients with lymph node metastases indicated higher incidences of distant metastases in the subgroup with positive NBVI than in the subgroup with negative NBVI; 40.9% vs. 6.1% in negative TBVI group and 48.6% vs. 12.5% in positive TBVI group. Dividing the patients with positive NBVI into three subgroups relating to the grade of invasion, the incidence of blood-borne distant metastases increased according to the grade of the NBVI. The above results suggest that blood vessel invasion, especially the finding in the involved nodes, is important as a predictor of postoperative distant metastases, and adjuvant anticancer chemotherapy is recommended.
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