Breast Pathology Flashcards
What sample can be taken from the breast for cytopathology analysis?
fine needle aspiration
Describe how the cytology of an FNA is graded?
C1 - Unsatisfactory C2 - Benign C3 - Atypia, probably benign C4 - Suspicious of malignancy C5 - Malignant
What samples of breast tissue can be taken for histopathology to make a diagnosis?
- (Needle) core biopsy
- Vacuum assisted biopsy (large volume)
- Skin biopsy
- Incisional biopsy of mass
How can breast tissue be removed therapeutically (i.e. for diagnosis and treatment)?
- Vacuum assisted excision
- Excisional biopsy of mass
- Resection of cancer (Wide local OR Mastectomy)
Describe how a needle core biopsy can be graded
B1 - Unsatisfactory / normal B2 - Benign B3 - Atypia, probably benign B4 - Suspicious of malignancy B5 - Malignant B5a - carcinoma in situ B5b - invasive carcinoma
Give examples of developmental anomalies in the breast
- Hypoplasia
- Juvenile hypertrophy
- Accessory breast tissue
- Accessory nipple
What non-neoplastic causes are there for benign breast lumps to occur?
- Gynaecomastia
- Fibrocystic change
- Hamartoma
- Fibroadenoma
- Sclerosing lesions (e.g. radial scar/complex lesion)
What inflammatory conditions can cause benign breast disease?
- Fat necrosis
- Duct ectasia
- Acute mastitis/abscess
What types of breast tumour can be benign?
Phyllodes tumour
Intraduct Papilloma
What is gynaecomastia?
Male breast development
- ducts grow but lobules dont form
What causes gynaecomastia?
Hormones
Cannabis
Prescription drugs
Liver disease
When does fibrocystic change normally present?
- Women aged 20-50 (Majority 40-50)
- pain cysts and masses in breast that may worsen at points in menstrual cycle
- Early menarche/Late menopause
What symptoms are common in a presentation of fibrocystic change?
- Smooth discrete lumps
- Sudden pain
- Cyclical pain
- Lumpiness (“doughy”)
How does fibrocystic change appear macroscopically?
- Usually multiple cysts
- blue domed with pale fluid
- intervening fibrosis
How do the cysts in fibrocystic change look microscopically?
- Thin walled (may have fibrotic wall)
- Lined by apocrine epithelium
What is a hamartoma?
- Circumscribed lesion
- made up of breast cell types
- but abnormal amount/distribution of them
When do fibroadenomas usually present?
3rd decade most common
- usually picked up on self examination or screening
How do fibroadenomas feel on palpation and how do they appear on US?
Painless
firm
discrete
mobile mass
Solid on ultrasound
How do fibroadenomas look macroscopically?
Circumscribed
Rubbery
Grey-white colour
What tissue in the breast undergoes hyperplasia to form a fibroadenoma?
INTRA-lobular stroma
What is meant by sclerosing lesions of the breast?
- Benign
- proliferation of acini and stroma
Why do people worry about sclerosing lesions?
Can cause a mass or calcification
May mimic carcinoma
What symptoms are caused by sclerosing adenosis?
- Pain, tenderness or lumpiness/thickening
- Some pts are Asymptomatic
- affects any age (20-70)
Sclerosing adenosis has a very low risk of progressing to carcinoma of breast. TRUE/FALSE?
TRUE
What are the common pathological features of a radial scar/ complex scerlosing lesion?
Stellate architecture
central puckering
Radiating fibrosis