Breast Cancer Flashcards
Risk factors (8)
age, age of menarche, age at first birth, parity, breastfeeding, age at menopause, hormones (endogenous/exogenous e.g. OCP, HRT), previous breast disease, FH
Presentation:
what percent asymptomatic picked up on screening?
what percent symptomatic and what percent of those with lump?
50% asymptomatic via screening,
50% symptomatic, 50% of those with a lump
Breast symptoms
solitary breast lump,
altered shape,
….
Red flag
lump that feels diff, change in nipple appearance, rash around nipple, discharge from nipple (1/both), change in skin texture e..g puckering, dimpling, peau d'orange, constant pain in breast/armpit,
Only 10% of symptomatic patients have malignant findings from biopsy. Approx. how many patients get biopsy who are symptomatic?
25%
What system is used for breast cancers staging?
TNM system
4 histological factors used to determine type of breast cancer?
invasive or not,
ductal or lobular,
degree of differentiation,
receptors status
One-stop diagnostic breast units decrease recurrence and improve survival. T/F?
True
Medical types of treatment
radiotherapy (local),
chemotherapy,
hormonal therapy,
target therapy
aim of chemo and hormonal
stop metastases by stopping circulation cells
Non-invasive hormonal
SERMS, (oestrogen
AIs, (eradicate aromatase - often for menopausal? )
GnRH
Invasive hormonla - but phased out
oophorectomy
Targeted therapies (2)
human epidermal growth factor receptor 2,
monoclonal antibody trastuzumad (Herceptin)
late or advanced disease ? treatment?
bone or soft tissue metastasis,
QOL & symptom control
When Phyllodes tumours are malignant, what type of tissue is the malignant part?
sarcomatous stromal part
When does angiosarcoma of the breast tend to occur?
post radiotherapy for breast cancer treatment
List the 3 most common metastatic breast carcinomas
bronchial,
ovarian serous carcinoma,
clear cell carcinoma of the kidney
In addition to carcinomas, give two other examples of metastatic breast tumours
malignant melanoma,
leiomyosarcoma
Breast carcinoma definition
A malignant tumour of breast epithelial cells
Where exactly in breast tissue does breast carcinoma arise?
in glandular epithelium of terminal duct lobular unit therefore is actually an adenocarcinoma
Pathophysiology of breast carcinoma is based on epithelial proliferations. List 4 types of ductal precursor lesions AKA intraductal proliferations
usual type epithelial hyperplasia (UTH),
columnar cell change (+/- atypia) (CCL),
atypical ductal hyperplasia (ADH),
ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS)
Pathophysiology of breast carcinoma is based on epithelial proliferations. Lobular precursor lesions are lobular in situ neoplasia, list 2 types of this
atypical lobular hyperplasia (ALH),
lobular carcinoma in situ (LCIS)
Definition of in situ carcinoma, classification (2) and are they invasive/non-invase?
Carcinoma confided within basement membrane of acini and ducts,
2 types lobular and ductal,
is non-invasive
In situ Carcinomas are non-obligate precursors of invasive carcinomas. What does this mean?
they could become but do not usually become invasive
Difference between DCIS with microinvasion and invasive ductal cancer? How is DCIS with microinvasion treated?
DCIS with micro invasion is DCIS with invasion <1mm. Becomes invasive ductal when is >1mm.
DCIS with micro invasion is treated as high grade DCIS
Difference between ALH and LCIS?
ALH is when <50% of lobule involved,
LCIS is when >50% of lobule involved
Lobular in situ neoplasia is an intra-lobular proliferation of characteristic cells. What are 5 characteristics of these cells?
small-intermediate sized nuclei, solid proliferation, intra-cytoplasmic vacuoles, ER positive, E-cadherin negative
Incidence of lobular in situ neoplasia is 0.5-4% in benign biopsies. It’s incidence increases/decreases after menopause. It is usually symptomatic/asymptomatic because is palpable/not palpable.
incidence decreases after menopause,
is usually asymptomatic and so incidental finding,
not palpable