Breast Pathology

Question 1

What are Fibroadenomas?

Answer 1

Benign tumours of fibrous and epithelial tissue

Question 2

What do fibroadenomas arise from?

Answer 2

Lobules

Question 3

Who is normally affected by fibroadenomas?

Answer 3

Adolescents and young adults

Question 4

How do fibroadenomas present?

Answer 4

Firm, non-tender mass

Question 5

How is the fibroadenoma described?

Answer 5

Rounded with smooth edges

Highly mobile

Question 6

What size do fibroadenomas normally grow to?

Answer 6

Less than 3cm

Question 7

What might happen if a fibroadenoma is left untreated?

Answer 7

It may regress

Question 8

Is there a risk of malignancy with fibroadenoma?

Answer 8

No

Question 9

What investigations would you do for a fibroadenoma?

Answer 9

Triple assessment

Question 10

What is the management of a fibroadenoma over 3cm?

Answer 10

Surgical excision

Question 11

What usually happens to fibroadenomas after menopause?

Answer 11

They regress

Question 12

What type of tumours are lactating adenomas?

Answer 12

Tubular adenomas

Question 13

What are lactating adenomas

Answer 13

Enlarging masses that start secreting during pregnancy

Question 14

What is an intraductal papilloma?

Answer 14

Benign papillary tumour

Question 15

Who do intraductal papilloma’s affect?

Answer 15

Middle aged women

Question 16

What do intraductal papilloma’s arise from?

Answer 16

Ductal epithelium

Question 17

How do intraductal papilloma’s normally present?

Answer 17

Bloody discharge from the nipple

Question 18

How is the mass with intraductal papilloma’s described?

Answer 18

Elongated mass along the length of the lumen

Question 19

Is there an increased risk of malignancy with intraductal papilloma’s?

Answer 19

No

Question 20

What is the management of intraductal papilloma’s?

Answer 20

Microdochectomy

Question 21

What is fat necrosis?

Answer 21

AN inflammatory reaction to adipose tissue damage

Question 22

Who is more commonly affected by fat necrosis?

Answer 22

Obese women with larger breasts

Question 23

What are the 3 main causes of fat necrosis?

Answer 23

Physical trauma
Radiotherapy
Breast Surgery

Question 24

How does fat necrosis normally present?

Answer 24

Firm and round lesion that may develop into a hard, irregular breast lump

Question 25

What can fat necrosis mimic?

Answer 25

Breast cancer

Question 26

What may happen to the mass size initially?

Answer 26

The mass size may increase initially

Question 27

What might you see on a mammography?

Answer 27

Fibrosis
Calcifications
Egg shell

Question 28

What is the management of fat necrosis?

Answer 28

No intervention is normally required

Question 29

What is a phyllodes tumour?

Answer 29

Breast cancer of fibroepithelial origin

Question 30

Who is normally affected by a phyllodes tumour?

Answer 30

Women in their 40’s/50’s

Question 31

How does a phyllodes tumour normally present?

Answer 31

Smooth, hard, palpable breast mass which can be seen as a smooth bulge under the skin of the breast

Question 32

How does advanced phyllodes tumour present?

Answer 32

Ulcer on the breast

Question 33

How does a phyllodes tumour progress?

Answer 33

It can be aggressive and grow to a very large size

Question 34

Why are phyllodes tumour’s hard to diagnose?

Answer 34

They present similar to fibroadenoma

Question 35

What is the difference between phyllodes tumour and fibroadenoma?

Answer 35

Fibroadenomas present in younger people and are slower growing

Question 36

What investigations would you carry out for a phyllodes tumour?

Answer 36

Triple Assessment

Question 37

What would you see on a mammography of a phyllodes tumour?

Answer 37

Round breast lesion with well-defined edges.