Breast Flashcards
What is the presentation of breast disease
Breast lump.
Abnormal screening mammogram.
Nipple discharge.
How do we investigate breast disease?
- Clinical examination.
- Imaging- Sonography, mammography & MRI
- Pathology (cytopathology and/or histopathology).
- Lesion aspirated by a 16/18gauge needle
Describe the cytopathology of breast disease.
- Cells spread across a slide and stained.
- Good cellular detail & quick to prepare but no architecture.
- In breast disease used in the investigation of nipple discharge and palpable lumps.
- Aspirates of breast lumps are coded C1-5:
- C1 = inadequate
- C2 = benign
- C3 = atypia, probably benign
- C4 = suspicious of malignancy
- C5 = malignant
What does cytopathology ‘C5’ denote?
Malignancy
Describe the histopathology of breast disease.
Intact tissue removed, fixed in formalin, embedded in paraffin wax, thinly sliced, stained with H&E.
Core biopsies, surgical excisions.
Takes 24 hours to process.
Architectural & cellular detail.
Describe duct ectasia. How does it present?
- Inflammation and dilation of large breast ducts.
- Aetiology unclear.
- Usually presents with nipple discharge.
- Sometimes causes breast pain, breast mass and nipple retraction.
- Cytology of nipple discharge shows proteinaceous material and inflammatory cells only.
- Benign condition with no increased risk of malignancy.
What is this?
Duct ectasia
Enlarged 20x. Sometimes need to aspirate or excise.
Describe acute mastitis. How does it present? How is ti treated?
Acute inflammation in the breast.
Often seen in lactating women due to cracked skin and stasis of milk.
May also complicate duct ectasia.S
taphylococci the usual organism.
Presents with a painful red breast.
Drainage & antibiotics usually curative.
Describe the image
Acute mastitis
Dark trinucleated cells - polymorphs - neutrophils. Inflammatory cells
What is this?
US of breast. Dark mass could be a cyst.
What is fat necrosis? What is it caused by? How does it present?
An inflammatory reaction to damaged adipose tissue.
Caused by trauma, surgery, radiotherapy.
Presents with a breast mass.
Benign condition.
What is this
Mammogram. Section of increased density. Also some calcification - due to ageing.
What is this?
Fat necrosis
Oval cells - histiocytes
White empty spaces - fat!
Describe fibrocystic disease.
- A group of alterations in the breast which reflect normal, albeit exaggerated, responses to hormonal influences.
- Very common.
- Presents with breast lumpiness.
- No increased risk for subsequent breast carcinoma.
What is this?
Fibrocystic disease
Describe Fibroadenomas.
- A benign fibroepithelial neoplasm of the breast.
- Common.
- Presents as a circumscribed mobile breast lump in young women aged 20-30.
- Simple “shelling out” curative.
What is this?
Fibroadenoma cytology and histology
- Monolayer sheet with glandular epithelial cells on top and myoepithelium as well
- Glands have been compressed due to proliferation of fibrous tissue
Describe Phyllodes tumours. How does it present? Prognosis?
A group of potentially aggressive fibroepithelial neoplasms of the breast.
Uncommon tumours.
Present as enlarging masses in women aged over 50.
Some may arise within pre-existing fibroadenomas.
Vast majority behave in a benign fashion but a small proportion can behave more aggressively.
What is this?
Phyllodes - Cytology and Histology
Lots of cells in the tissue. Large nuclei, very dense monolayer sheet.
Phyllodes means leaf-like. Glandular epithelial on the outside.
Characterisation:
Benign
Borderline
Malignant
Describe intraductal papillomas. How do they arise and present? What is the prognosis?
- A benign papillary tumour arising within the duct system of the breast.
- Arise within small terminal ductules (peripheral papillomas) or larger lactiferous ducts (central papillomas).
- Common.
- Seen mostly in women aged 40-60.
- Central papillomas present with nipple discharge.
- Peripheral papillomas may remain clinically silent if small.
- Excision of involved duct is curative.
What is this?
Intraductal papilloma - cytology
Few myoepithelial cells. Form rounded clusters of cells.
What is this?
Intraductal papilloma - histology. Large ducts which is being dilated. Capillaries within them.