Breast Pathology Flashcards
Lesions of large ducts (4)
Duct ectasia
Squamous metaplasia of lactiferous ducts
Large duct papilloma
Paget disease
Lesions of intralobular stroma (2)
Fibroadenoma
Phyllodes tumor
Lesions of interlobular stroma (4)
Fat necrosis
Lipoma
Fibromatosis
Sarcoma
What gross and microscopic changes occur in the breast in younger women vs. older women?
Younger womens’ breasts are generally more fibrous which makes detecting abnormalities more difficult.
Older womens’ breast have more fat tissue and are easier to evaluate on mammography.
What is the presentation of milk line remnants?
They present as painful pre-menstrual enlargements. They are hormonally sensitive and can be found anywhere along the milk line (axilla to perineum).
What is the significance of accessory breast tissue?
Some women have extensions of the normal ductal system into the subcutaneous tissue of the chest wall or axilla.
They confer a greater risk for malignancy and can be removed via mastectomy. This does not eliminate the risk for malignancy, however.
What is the significance of congenital nipple inversion?
Not impressive. Acquired nipple inversion is much more concerning (cancer or inflammatory disease of the breast).
What are the 4 most common symptoms of breast disease?
Pain
Palpable mass
“Lumpiness” without palpable mass
Nipple discharge
What are the 3 most common palpable lesions of the breast?
Cysts, fibroadenomas and invasive carcinomas
What is acute mastitis? What may happen grossly to the breast?
What organism is most commonly implicated?
What should be done/recommended to the patient?
Inflammation of the breast within the first month of breastfeeding most often from infection. The nipple may crack or fissure.
Staph aureus
Antibiotics are given and patients are advised to continue breastfeeding.
What is the presentation of squamous metaplasia of lactiferous ducts?
What are 2 risk factors?
What is the classic morphological finding?
Painful, erythematous, subareolar mass
Inverted nipple
Smoking and vitamin A deficiency
Keratinizing squamous metaplasia of the nipple ducts
What is the presentation of duct ectasia?
What age does it occur?
What is tricky about it?
What cells are found on histology?
A palpable periareolar mass that is often accompanied by thick, white nipple secretions and occasionally skin retraction.
40-50 y/o
The irregularity of the mass mimics invasive carcinoma
Lipid-laden macrophages
What is the presentation of fat necrosis?
What is a common history?
A painless mass, skin thickening or retraction, or mammographic densities or calcifications.
Trauma or prior surgery.
What is the presentation of lymphocytic mastopathy?
It is most common in women with which 2 underlying conditions?
Single or multiple palpable masses or radiographic densities.
T1DM and autoimmune thyroid disease.
What are the 2 mechanisms that granulomatous inflammation can manifest in the breast?
Either from systemic granulomatous diseases (granulomatosis with polyangiitis, sarcoidosis, Tb, etc.) or disorders localized to the breast.
What are the 3 principal morphologic changes found in non-proliferative breast changes (fibrocystic changes)?
Cystic change, often with apocrine metaplasia
Fibrosis (when cysts rupture, fibrosis may ensue)
Adenosis (increase in acini per lobule - normal in pregnancy)
What is a lactational adenoma?
A palpable mass found in pregnant or lactating women. They are non-neoplastic and occur due to exaggerated local response to hormones.
What are the 4 proliferative breast lesions without atypia?
Epithelial hyperplasia - often incidental
Sclerosing adenosis - compressed and distorted acini which may present as a mass, density or calcificatin
Complex sclerosing lesions (radial scar) - irregular shape and can mimic breast carcinoma grossly and histologically
Papillomas - they grow in a dilated nipple duct and often produce a bloody nipple discharge
What is the microscopic appearance of gynecomastia? (2)
What are 2 associated risk factors?
Increased dense collangenous CT
Epithelial hyperplasia of the duct lining with tapering micropapillae
Liver disease
Drugs/alcohol
How is DCIS vs. LCIS detected?
DCIS - mammography most often (calcification or mass)
LCIS - incidental
What defines the morphological appearance of comedo DCIS? (2)
What is the appearance on mammography?
Tumor cells with pleomorphic, high-grade nuclei
Areas of central necrosis
Clustered or linear and branching areas of calcification
What are the 2 variants of non-comedo DCIS?
Cribiform DCIS - rounded (cookie-cutter) spaces within the ducts or a solid DCIS pattern
Micropapillary DCIS - bulbous protrusions without a fibrovascular core