An autopsy study of radial scar in the female breast.

In a study of breasts from 83 consecutive, unselected female autopsies, 23 women (28%) were found to have radial scars. The lesion was multicentric in 67% and bilateral in 43%. The frequency of radial scar was significantly increased among women with fibrocystic disease (43%) compared to women without this lesion (17%). No difference in the frequency of radial scar was registered between women with primary breast malignancy and women with either normal breasts or benign breast abnormalities. No radial scar demonstrated transition to invasive or in situ carcinoma. No evidence was found of any association between radial scar and breast carcinoma.