Table 2 Comparison of various cytological features which point towards phyllodes tumor versus fibroadenoma, based on univariate generalized estimating equations

  ● Marked

0.06–1.24

0.093

  ● Moderate

0.16–2.27

0.448

  ● Mild^a

–

–

  ● > 5

0.01–0.67

0.019

  ● 1–5

0.01–17.51

0.845

  ● < 1^a

–

–

  ● Branched

0.39–1.46

0.401

  ● Cohesive

0.42–3.60

0.705

  ● Opened large folded

1.86–7.82

<  0.001

  ● Staghorn

0.35–1.26

0.208

  ● Tubular

0.11–1.43

0.156

  ● Crowded

0.09–2.54

0.381

 Degree of dissociation

0.22–7.37

0.779

 Epithelial atypia

1.11–7.23

0.029

 Epithelial mitosis

0.12–29.48

0.655

 Apocrine metaplasia

0.25–1.70

0.386

 Epithelial giant cells

0.29–1.85

0.516

  ● > 5

0.19–328.86

0.549

  ● 1–5

0.29–514.29

0.347

  ● < 1^a

–

–

  ● Large

0.52–7.38

0.324

  ● Intermediate

0.62–4.89

0.294

  ● Small^a

–

–

  ● Irregular

1.03–10.54

0.044

  ● Frayed

1.07–21.88

0.040

  ● Round^a

–

–

  ● Marked

0.24–8.46

0.693

  ● Moderate

1.09–7.39

0.032

  ● Mild^a

–

–

 Traversing blood vessels

0.76–4.02

0.189

 Myxoid fragments

0.56–2.96

0.551

 Fibro myxoid fragments^a

–

–

  ● Spindle

1.31–8.55

0.011

  ● Plump

0.49–44.28

0.180

  ● Oval^a

–

–

  ● Marked

0.19–2.65

0.604

  ● Moderate

0.40–3.07

0.851

  ● Mild^a

–

–

  ● Spindle

3.79–16.58

<  0.001

  ● Plump

0.80–15.29

0.096

  ● Oval^a

–

–

  ● > 30%

22.70–737.93

<  0.001

  ● 10–30%

10.04–770.56

<  0.001

  ● < 10%^a

–

–

 Background cell atypia

2.19–13.37

<  0.001

 Background cell mitosis

0.94–105.30

0.057

 Cyst macrophages

0.18–6.91

0.899

 Columnar cells^a

–

–