Breast patho Flashcards
What are the common non-neoplastic conditions of the breast?
Inflammatory disorders (e.g., acute mastitis, periductal mastitis, idiopathic granulomatous mastitis) and benign epithelial diseases (e.g., fibrocystic changes).
What is the ‘Triple Test’ in breast disease diagnosis?
The Triple Test combines clinical examination, imaging (mammography/ultrasound), and pathology (biopsy). If any component is indeterminate, suspicious, or malignant, the test is positive. The sensitivity is >99.6% when all three are performed.
Describe the key histological features of fibrocystic changes.
Fibrosis, cyst formation, apocrine metaplasia, and epithelial hyperplasia.
What is the risk of malignancy associated with fibrocystic changes?
The risk is based on the degree of epithelial hyperplasia: mild hyperplasia has no increased risk, while atypical hyperplasia significantly increases the risk of invasive carcinoma.
What are the common benign breast neoplasms?
Fibroadenoma, intraduct papilloma, and phyllodes tumour.
What are the characteristics of a fibroadenoma?
A common benign lesion, most prevalent in young women, with a peak around 25 years. It is firm, well-defined, and mobile, ranging from 1-6 cm, and can be multiple and bilateral.
What are the main risk factors for breast carcinoma?
Family history, genetic mutations (BRCA1/2), early menarche, late menopause, obesity, and certain ethnicities (e.g., Caucasians, Jews, Parsis).
What are the differences between DCIS and LCIS?
DCIS (Ductal Carcinoma In-Situ) presents as comedo or cribriform patterns, and is a precursor to invasive cancer. LCIS (Lobular Carcinoma In-Situ) is less likely to become invasive but indicates an increased risk for cancer in both breasts.
What are the special types of invasive breast carcinoma?
Lobular, mucinous, tubular, papillary, medullary, and metaplastic carcinomas.
