Breast pathology Flashcards
Name some benign breast pathologies
fibroadenoma
fibrocystic changes
intraductal papilloma
duct ectasia
periductal mastitis
fat necrosis
gynaecomastia
Most common type of breast cancer
adenocarcinoma
Which hormones inhibit production of milk during pregnancy?
progesterone
oestrogen
What happens to prolactin levels during pregnancy?
rise progressively to 10-20x normal level
promotes milk secretion
Acute mastitis presentation
fever
pain on breast
cracked nipples
erythema
Most common cause of acute mastitis
staphylococcus aureus
What would a red, inflamed breast in an older woman potentially be?
inflammatory breast cancer
What is duct ectasia?
when a milk duct beneath the nipple widens, the duct walls thicken, and the duct fills with fluid. This is the most common cause of greenish discharge
What is likely to be the cause of a smooth mobile breast lump in a 25 year old woman?
fibroadenoma
What can happen to fibroadenomas as they age?
can calcify as they age and show on mammograms - popcorn appearance
What is bloody breast discharge likely to be due to?
intraductal papilloma
What is gynaecomastia?
tender retroareolar mass due to excess oestrogen or deficiency/reduced activity of androgen - multiple causes
Where in the body would you normally find apocrine glands?
axilla
groin
Define carcinoma
malignant tumour of epithelial cells
What receptors are breast cancers screened for routinely?
oestrogen receptor
progesterone receptor
HER2
What cancers does BRCA1 increase risk of?
breast and ovarian
If you have a young patient with a grade 3, hormone receptor -ve breast cancer - what should you test for?
germline BRCA1 mutation
What is a tumour grade?
how closely the tumour resembles the tissue from which it arises (differentiation)
how aggressive the tumour is likely to be
What can help you differentiate lymphoma and carcinoma?
immunohistochemistry
What drugs can be used on oestrogen receptor positive breast cancers?
tamoxifen
aromatase inhibitor
What drug can be used on HER2 positive breast cancers?
Herceptin (trastuzumab)
What makes something a gland?
cell produced mucin = gland
What is Paget’s disease of the nipple?
spread of high grade ductal carcinoma in situ cells into the epidermis
usually ER -ve and HER2 +ve
