Category Archives: Breast

Breast Carcinoma In Situ

Breast Carcinoma In Situ

Histologic classification

DCIS

o    Solid

o    Cribriform

o    Papillary

o    Micropapillary

o    Comedocarcinoma

o    Cystic hypersecretory

o    Apocrine

o    Neuroendocrine

o    Signet ring

LCIS

Microscopic features of comedocarcinoma type

·    Solid sheets of pleiomorphic cells with high-grade nuclei, at least 3 times the size of an erythrocyte, and central necrosis

·    The necrotic cell membranes sometimes calcify (seen on mammography as linear and branching, or as clusters)

·    Periductal concentric fibrosis and chronic inflammation are common

Clinical behaviour and prognosis

·    Will progress to invasive carcinoma if left untreated (10 times the risk of the normal population)

·    DCIS treated with mastectomy is curative in >95% of cases

·    Deaths from DCIS in treated women are very rare (<2%)

·    Prognosis is based on:

o    Grade

o    Size

o    Margins

Posted in Breast | Tagged , , , | Comments Off

Radial scar

Radial scar and complex sclerosing lesions of the breast

Clinical presentation

•    Generally non-palpable, although larger lesions (>1cm) may be palpable
•    Usually found incidentally in breast specimens or on mammography
•    Palpable lesions may simulate carcinoma on physical exam; some may cause dimpling and skin retraction

Gross findings

Firm, chalky white lesions with an irregular outline and stellate appearance secondary to fibrous bands extending from core

Microscopic findings

Circumscribed lobular architecture, but distorted
Central elastosis and sclerosis with entrapped, compressed epithelial structures
Ducts at periphery demonstrate dilatation, adenosis, and hyperplasia
Myoepithelial cells are present, but may be difficult to visualize

Differential diagnosis

•    Sclerosing adenosis
•    Microglandular adenosis
•    Tubular adenosis
•    Infiltrating ductal carcinoma (especially tubular carcinoma)

Posted in Breast | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off

Breast Cytology

Breast Cytology

Fine-needle aspiration cytology of the breast

Adequacy criteria

•    For solid nodules
o    At least 6-10 clusters of epithelial cells containing 5-10 cells per cluster
o    Triple test should be applied in each case
•    For cystic lesions
o    Need for presence of epithelial cells is waived since the large majority of cystic lesions in mammary tissue are benign
o    Presence of foamy macrophages +/- apocrine metaplastic cells is enough to establish adequacy

Causes of false-positive diagnosis of ductal carcinoma

•    Radiation changes
•    Apocrine metaplastic cells
•    Lactational changes
•    Inflammatory lesions
•    Fibroadenomas with atypical features
•    Epithelial proliferations (hyperplasia)
•    Phyllodes tumours

Causes of false-negative diagnosis of ductal carcinoma

•    Inadequate sampling of lesion
•    Missed lesion
•    Extensive fibrosis
•    Well differentiated tumors (Grade 1 tumors)

Characteristic findings of fibroadenoma

•    Cellular sample with background of bare nuclei
•    Large, hyperplastic, cohesive sheets of ductal epithelium demonstrating branching, “antler” arrangement
•    Stromal fragments of low cellularity

Posted in Breast | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off

Synoptic Report Ductal Carcinoma In Situ

Synoptic Report Features Ductal Carcinoma In Situ

What should be included in a report on DCIS

•    Histologic type of DCIS

•    Grade of DCIS; presence/absence of central necrosis

•    Size of DCIS

•    Presence/absence of invasive carcinoma

•    Presence/absence of margin involvement; distance to closest margin

•    Presence/absence of microcalcifications

•    Hormone receptor status

•    Involvement of lymph nodes (if lymph nodes taken)

Posted in Breast | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off

Lobular Carcinoma In Situ

Lobular Carcinoma In Situ

LCIS

Histological features

•    Small cells with round to oval nuclei and inconspicuous nucleoli

•    Cells exhibit dyscohesion

•    Some cells may demonstrate intracytoplasmic lumina

•    Cells fill up >50% of the lobule and cause its marked distension

Lobular Carcinoma In Situ Prognosis and Clinical Issues

•    Thought to be a “marker” of risk for breast carcinoma; often bilateral and multicentric

•    Women with LCIS develop breast cancer at a frequency similar to women with untreated DCIS

•    Over a 20 year period, 20-35% of women with LCIS developed breast carcinoma (at a rate of 1% per year)

•    Older studies indicated that both breasts were at equal risk, however recent studies indicate that ipsilateral breast may be at greater risk

•    Women with LCIS have a 3-fold greater likelihood of developing invasive lobular carcinoma, but majority do not generally show lobular morphology

Clinical management

•    Treatment options include prophylactic bilateral mastectomy, tamoxifen, or close surveillance and mammographic screening

Posted in Breast | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off

Invasive Lobular Carcinoma

Breast Invasive Lobular Carcinoma

Architectural features

1.    Malignant cells that infiltrate breast tissue in single file

2.    “Targetoid” pattern of growth (cells arranged in concentric rings around preserved ductal elements)

3. Signet-ring like morphology

Cytological features

1.    Cellular dyscohesion

2.    Intracytoplasmic lumina

3.    Small cells with less cytoplasm, less nuclear pleomorphism than ductal carcinoma, inconspicuous nucleoli

Genetic changes

1.    Loss of E-cadherin

2.    ?loss of beta-catenin

3.    ?BRCA2 (recall BRCA1 have medullary/basal cell pattern)

Other special types of breast cancer with relatively good prognosis

1.    Tubular carcinoma

2.    Mucinous carcinoma

3.    Infiltrating cribriform carcinoma

Posted in Breast | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off

Papillary Lesions

Breast Papillary Lesions

Features that differentiate papillary carcinoma from papillary carcinoma in situ (or papillary carcinoma in situ from papilloma?)

Papillary carcinoma in situ versus papilloma

-    Monomorphism of cells (one cell population vs. two) with lack of myoepithelial cells
-    Concurrent DCIS in surrounding breast tissue
-    Nuclear hyperchromasia, high N:C ratio, pleomorphism, mitotic figures
-    Delicate papillary structures with lack of apocrine metaplasia, presence of rigid cribriform/trabecular architecture

Management if a diagnosis of papillary lesion is made on core biopsy?

Excision of the lesion with histologic examination is key (ie. rule out concurrent invasive carcinoma should lesion turn out to be papillary DCIS)
Further management dependent on histologic diagnosis (ie. papilloma: no further management other than excision; papillary DCIS: excision with clear margins, hormonal therapy, radiotherapy; invasive papillary carcinoma: excision with clear margins with sentinel lymph node dissection, radiotherapy, +/- hormonal therapy, +/- chemotherapy)

Histologic features of florid nipple adenomatosis (nipple adenoma)

Rounded outline with haphazardly arranged proliferating tubular structures surrounded by fibrous stroma
Abrupt junction between proliferating tubular glands and squamous epithelium of skin
Two cell types (epithelial and myoepithelial); epithelial cells are columnar/cuboidal, +/- apocrine or squamous metaplasia
No evidence of cribriform architecture or luminal bridging
Epithelium may be hyperplastic, but no evidence of atypia; stroma is benign

Clinical presentations of florid nipple adenomatosis (nipple adenoma)

Soreness, swelling, ulceration, crusting of nipple (may simulate Paget’s disease)
Bloody discharge from nipple

Posted in Breast | Tagged , , , , , , , | Comments Off

Ductal carcinoma in situ

In situ diseases of the breast

Ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS)

Ductal carcinoma in situ  is a malignant population of ductal cells limited to ducts and lobules by the basement membrane.  A clonal proliferation which usually involves a single ductal system.

Types of ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS)

1.    Comedocarcinoma

2.    Cribriform DCIS

3.    Papillary DCIS

4.    Micropapillary DCIS

5.    Solid DCIS

6.    Cystic hypersecretory DCIS

Posted in Breast | Tagged , , | Comments Off

Paget’s Disease

Paget’s Disease

Paget's disease.

Paget disease.

Extramammary paget disease.

Extramammary paget's disease.

Posted in Breast, Skin | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Cancer Calcifications

Cancer Calcifications

Cancer Calcifications.

Posted in Breast, Cancer, Prostate | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment