Breast Pathology Flashcards

1
Q

Lesions of large ducts (4)

A

Duct ectasia

Squamous metaplasia of lactiferous ducts

Large duct papilloma

Paget disease

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

Lesions of intralobular stroma (2)

A

Fibroadenoma

Phyllodes tumor

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

Lesions of interlobular stroma (4)

A

Fat necrosis

Lipoma

Fibromatosis

Sarcoma

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

What gross and microscopic changes occur in the breast in younger women vs. older women?

A

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.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

What is the presentation of milk line remnants?

A

They present as painful pre-menstrual enlargements. They are hormonally sensitive and can be found anywhere along the milk line (axilla to perineum).

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

What is the significance of accessory breast tissue?

A

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.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

What is the significance of congenital nipple inversion?

A

Not impressive. Acquired nipple inversion is much more concerning (cancer or inflammatory disease of the breast).

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

What are the 4 most common symptoms of breast disease?

A

Pain

Palpable mass

“Lumpiness” without palpable mass

Nipple discharge

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

What are the 3 most common palpable lesions of the breast?

A

Cysts, fibroadenomas and invasive carcinomas

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

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?

A

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.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

What is the presentation of squamous metaplasia of lactiferous ducts?

What are 2 risk factors?

What is the classic morphological finding?

A

Painful, erythematous, subareolar mass
Inverted nipple

Smoking and vitamin A deficiency

Keratinizing squamous metaplasia of the nipple ducts

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

What is the presentation of duct ectasia?

What age does it occur?

What is tricky about it?

What cells are found on histology?

A

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

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

What is the presentation of fat necrosis?

What is a common history?

A

A painless mass, skin thickening or retraction, or mammographic densities or calcifications.

Trauma or prior surgery.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

What is the presentation of lymphocytic mastopathy?

It is most common in women with which 2 underlying conditions?

A

Single or multiple palpable masses or radiographic densities.

T1DM and autoimmune thyroid disease.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

What are the 2 mechanisms that granulomatous inflammation can manifest in the breast?

A

Either from systemic granulomatous diseases (granulomatosis with polyangiitis, sarcoidosis, Tb, etc.) or disorders localized to the breast.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

What are the 3 principal morphologic changes found in non-proliferative breast changes (fibrocystic changes)?

A

Cystic change, often with apocrine metaplasia

Fibrosis (when cysts rupture, fibrosis may ensue)

Adenosis (increase in acini per lobule - normal in pregnancy)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
17
Q

What is a lactational adenoma?

A

A palpable mass found in pregnant or lactating women. They are non-neoplastic and occur due to exaggerated local response to hormones.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
18
Q

What are the 4 proliferative breast lesions without atypia?

A

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

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
19
Q

What is the microscopic appearance of gynecomastia? (2)

What are 2 associated risk factors?

A

Increased dense collangenous CT
Epithelial hyperplasia of the duct lining with tapering micropapillae

Liver disease
Drugs/alcohol

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
20
Q

How is DCIS vs. LCIS detected?

A

DCIS - mammography most often (calcification or mass)

LCIS - incidental

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
21
Q

What defines the morphological appearance of comedo DCIS? (2)

What is the appearance on mammography?

A

Tumor cells with pleomorphic, high-grade nuclei
Areas of central necrosis

Clustered or linear and branching areas of calcification

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
22
Q

What are the 2 variants of non-comedo DCIS?

A

Cribiform DCIS - rounded (cookie-cutter) spaces within the ducts or a solid DCIS pattern

Micropapillary DCIS - bulbous protrusions without a fibrovascular core

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
23
Q

What loss of function mutation is found in LCIS?

A

E-cadherin (CDH1 gene) - leads to discohesion of cells

24
Q

Which CIS is more commonly bilateral?

A

LCIS (20-40% are BL)

25
Q

What are the 3 risk factors for progression of DCIS?

A

Nuclear grade and necrosis

Extent of disease

Positive surgical margins

26
Q

LCIS is a risk factor for…

A

Invasive lobular carcinoma or either breast

27
Q

What receptors are expressed in LCIS?

A

ER+ and PR+

*no over-expression of HER2

28
Q

What is the presentation of Paget disease of the nipple?

What is the significance?

What are the genetics?

A

Unilateral erythematous eruption with a scaly crust. Pruritis is common and can be mistaken for eczema.

A palpable mass is found on 50-60% of patients and almost all of them have underlying invasive carcinoma.

ER- HER2+

29
Q

What is the most common genetic profile found in breast cancer? Second most common? Least common?

A

Most common: ER+ HER2-

Second most: HER2+

Least common: ER- HER2-

30
Q

What 2 genes are associated with 80-90% of “single gene” familial breast cancers and 3% of all breast cancers?

A

BRCA1 and BRCA2

31
Q

What are the 4 major risk factors for sporadic breast cancer?

A

Age at menarche and menopause

Reproductive history

Breastfeeding

Exogenous estrogen exposure

32
Q

BRCA1

% of single gene hereditary breast cancers

Other cancer associations

What is the differentiation?

Other mutations?

A

52% (2% of all breast cancers)

Ovarian, pancreas, fallopian tube

Poorly differentiated and triple negative (“basal-like”)

TP53 mutations

33
Q

BRCA2

% of single gene hereditary breast cancers

Other cancer associations

What is a unique association?

A

32% (1% of all breast cancers)

Ovarian, male breast cancer, pancreas, stomach, melanoma, Gb, bile duct, pharynx

May cause a rare form of Fanconi anemia

34
Q

TP53 (Li-Fraumeni)

% of single gene hereditary breast cancers

Other cancer associations

What other genetic changes are common?

A

3% (<1% of all breast cancers)

Sarcoma, leukemia, brain tumors, adrenal tumors

ER-, HER2-

35
Q

What is the pathway of development of breast cancer with a germline BRCA2 mutation?

A
  1. BRCA2 mutation
  2. Flat epithelial atypia
  3. PIK3CA mutation
  4. Atypical ductal hyperplasia
  5. DCIS
  6. ER+, HER2- “luminal” cancer
36
Q

What is the pathway of development of breast cancer with a germline BRCA1 mutation?

A
  1. BRCA1 mutation
  2. TP53 mutation
  3. DCIS
  4. ER-, HER2- “basal-like” cancer
37
Q

What is the pathway of development of breast cancer with a germline TP53 mutation?

A
  1. TP53 mutation
  2. HER2 amplification
  3. Atypical apocrine adenosis
  4. DCIS
  5. HER2+ “HER2 enriched”
38
Q

Low proliferation: ER+, HER2- (40-55%)

Level of differentiation

Typical patient groups (2)

Metastatic pattern

Relapse pattern

Complete response to chemo?

A

Level of differentiation: well or moderately differentiation

Typical patient groups: older women, men (cancers detected by mammography)

Metastatic pattern: bone, viscera and brain

Relapse pattern: late, >10 years, long-term survival
possible with metastases

Complete response to chemo? <10% (poor)

39
Q

High proliferation: ER+, HER2- (10%)

Level of differentiation

Typical patient groups

Metastatic pattern

Relapse pattern

Complete response to chemo?

A

Level of differentiation: poorly differentiated

Typical patient groups: BRCA2 carriers

Metastatic pattern: bone, viscera and brain

Relapse pattern: intermediate

Complete response to chemo? 10% (poor)

40
Q

HER2+ (20%)

Histological cell type

Typical patient groups (3)

Metastatic pattern

Relapse pattern

A

Histological cell type: apocrine

Typical patient groups: young women, non-white women, TP53 carriers

Metastatic pattern: bone, viscera and brain

Relapse pattern: short, survival with metastases is rare

41
Q

ER-, HER- (15%)

Typical patient groups (4)

Metastatic pattern

Relapse pattern

Complete response to chemo?

A

Typical patient groups: young women, BRCA1 carriers, AA and Hispanics

Metastatic pattern: bone, viscera and brain

Relapse pattern: short, survival with metastases is rare

Complete response to chemo? 30%

42
Q

Ki67+ on protein stain

A

High proliferative ER+ HER2-

43
Q

ER+ on protein stain

A

Low proliferation ER+ HER2-

44
Q

The outcome for women with breast cancer depends on… (2)

A

Biologic features of the carcinoma (molecular or histologic type)

Extent of spread at the time of diagnosis (stage)

45
Q

In the absence of distance metastases, what is the most important prognostic factor of breast cancer?

A

Axillary LN involvement

46
Q

Therapy for HER2+ cancers:

A

Herceptin - MoAb that binds and inhibits HER2

47
Q

Why might a “basal-like” cancer present as a palpable mass in between mammograms?

A

Due to its high proliferation and rapid growth

48
Q

What is the pattern of metastasis of a lobular carcinoma? (4)

A

Perineum and retroperineum
Leptomeninges
GI tract
Ovaries (Krukenburg tumor) and uterus

49
Q

What is the most common type of breast cancer to present as an occult primary?

A

Lobular carcinoma

50
Q

What protein is defective in lobular carcinoma?

What is the morphologic appearance?

A

E-cadherin

“Indian file”/linear arrays

51
Q

What is the appearance of inflammatory carcinoma (AKA as..)?

What population is at an increased risk?

What is the prognosis?

A

Peau d’orange due to blockage of lymphatics by tumor

Higher incidence in AA

Very poor prognosis: 3 year survival is 3-10%

52
Q

What is the pathogenesis of gynecomastia?

What is the appearance of the enlargement?

A

Estrogen/androgen imbalance leading to stimulation of breast tissue

“Button-like” subareolar enlargement (more common in puberty or very old)

53
Q

Phyllodes tumor presents as…

What age does it present?

What is the most common acquired chromosomal changes?

Classic histological appearance

A

A palpable breast mass

Older than fibroadenoma by 10-20 years

Gain in 1q most common

“Leaf-like”

54
Q

Fibroadenoma is the…

Age of onset

Presentation

A

Most common benign tumor of the breast

20-30 y/o

Palpable mass(es) that can often be multiple and bilateral

55
Q

What is a epigenetic change occurring in medullary carcinoma?

Prognosis?

A

Hypermethylation of BRCA1 (downregulation)

Good prognosis

56
Q

Morphology of mucinous (colloid) carcinoma

A

Soft or rubbery and appearance of gray-blue gelatin.

Small islands of cells found in lakes of mucin.