7: Breast Pathology

Question 1

Two types of ep in breasts

Answer 1

Luminal, myoepithelial

Question 2

Two major ep structures in breast and what they form together

Answer 2

Ducts + lobules -> TDLU (terminal duct lobular unit)

Question 3

When does the breast have the most/largest lobules

Answer 3

End of a pregnancy

Question 4

What % of symptomatic breast lesions are benign?

Answer 4

90+%

Question 5

What % of breast CA presents with pain?

Answer 5

10%

Question 6

MC palpable benign breast lesions

Answer 6

Cysts, fibroadenomas

Question 7

MC palpable malignant breast lesion

Answer 7

Invasive ductal carcinoma

Question 8

What % of invasive carcinomas are not detected on mammography, and why might that be

Answer 8

10%: radiodense tissue, small size, diffuse infiltrative pattern, close to chest wall or periphery

Question 9

Granulomatous inflammation of the breast can occur in what conditions?

Answer 9

GPA, sarcoidosis, Tb

Question 10

Relative vs absolute risk

Answer 10

1. Relative: your risk vs people in another category

2. Absolute: your own risk

Question 11

Gynecomastia-causing drugs mnemonic and examples

Answer 11

DISCO: digoxin, isoniazid, spironolactone, cimetidine, oestrogens

Question 12

MC single gene mutations associated w hereditary susceptibility to breast CA

Answer 12

BRCA1/2, p53 (Li-Fraumeni), PTEN (Cowden), STK11 (Peutz-Jeghers)

Question 13

What type of cancer are almost all breast malignancies?

Answer 13

Adenocarcinoma

Question 14

Definition of carcinoma in situ

Answer 14

Clonal proliferation confined to ducts and lobules, no extension beyond BM, and myoepithelial cells are presereved

Question 15

Carcinoma en cuirasse

Answer 15

Complication of untreated breast cancer that causes extensive local disease and ulceration of the skin