2. Carcinoma of the female breast.(Spread and grading) Flashcards
Spread of breast cancer
l- Direct (Local) spread
ll- Lymphatic Spread
III- Blood spread
lV - Transcoelomic spread
Direct (Local) spread of breast carcinoma
- 1st within the breast tissue itself,
- then to the skin, pectoral muscle and fascia,
- then to serratus anterior muscle and chest wall.
Lymphatic Spread of breast carcinoma
Pathogenesis
Bailey & love note on Lymphatic Spread
Routes
Pathogenesis of Lymphatic Spread of breast carcinoma
By both embolization & Permeation
Bailey & love note on Lymphatic Spread of breast carcinoma
The site of the tumour within the breast does not dictate which nodes will be involved:
Axillary L.N: 75-80%
Internal mammary L.N: 20-25%
Posterior intercostal L.N, subscapular L.N, Intercostal L.N: 3%
Routes of Lymphatic Spread of breast carcinoma
according to the site of the tumour within the breast:
Lateral quadrants
Upper quadrants
medial quadrants
Lateral quadrants Routes of Lymphatic Spread of breast carcinoma
drains into pectoral L.N then to central L.N then to apical L.N
Upper quadrants Routes of Lymphatic Spread of breast carcinoma
Pierce pectoralis major muscle & clavipectoral fascia directly to the apical L.N
medial quadrants Routes of Lymphatic Spread of breast carcinoma
drain into internal mammary L.N of both sides then to mediastinal L.N
or Reach the lymphatics of rectus sheath and then:
1) to the porta hepatis and liver through lymphatics in the falciform ligament
2) To umbilicus (sister Joseph nodules of mayo-clinic)
Blood spread of breast carcinoma
- Common sites
- Bone secondaries
- The order of frequency of bony metastases
- Blood micro-metastases
Common sites of Blood spread of breast carcinoma
- Bone
- Lung
- Liver
- Brain
Bone secondaries in Blood spread of breast carcinoma
Bone secondaries are very common and are osteolytic, very rarely osteosclerotic
The order of frequency of bony metastases in Blood spread of breast carcinoma
1- Lumber vertebrae
2- femur
3- thoracic vertebrae
4- Ribs
5- Skull
Blood micro-metastases in Blood spread of breast carcinoma
The carcinoma of the breast considered a systemic disease from the start as it spreads by blood micro-metastases very early
explain the frequent Bone dissemination in the absence of lung metastases
It has been suggested that tumour cells may spread via the paravertebral venous plexus, which has direct connections with the breast through the posterior intercostal veins
why is the carcinoma of the breast considered a systemic disease from the start
as it spreads by blood micro-metastases very early
Trans-coelomic spread of breast carcinoma
- Pathogenesis
2. Common sites
Pathogenesis of Trans-coelomic spread of breast carcinoma
It’s now proved to be due to retrograde lymphatic permeation
Common sites of Trans-coelomic spread of breast carcinoma
a) Ovaries: krukenburg’s tumour.
b) Nodules in Douglas pouch : Blumer’s shelf nodules.
what is the krukenburg’s tumour
any secondaries affecting the ovaries
Blumer’s shelf nodules
Nodules in Douglas pouch (Transcoelomic spread of cancer breast)
Staging of cancer breast by
TNM classification