Breast Pathology

Question 1

What is the gross pathology of fibrocystic change?

Answer 1

Blue domed cysts with pale fluid
Usually multiple
Intervening fibrosis

Question 2

What is the microscopic pathology of fibrocystic change?

Answer 2

Thin walled cysts lined by apocrine epithelium

Intervening fibrosis

Question 3

Breast hamartoma definition

Answer 3

Circumscribed lesion composed of cell types normal to the breast but present in an abnormal proportion or distribution

Question 4

What does it mean when you say that a fibroadenoma is a biphasic tumour?

Answer 4

Epithelium and stroma are in equal proportion

Question 5

What are sclerosing lesions?

Answer 5

Benign, disorderly proliferation of acini and stroma
Can cause mass or calcification
May mimic carcinoma

Question 6

Which of radial scar, sclerosing adenosis and complex sclerosing lesion are potentially premalignant?

Answer 6

Radial scar and complex sclerosing lesion are potentially premalignant.

Question 7

What are the size ranges for radial scar and complex sclerosing lesions?

Answer 7

Radial scar - 1-9mm

CSL - >19mm

Question 8

What lifestyle choice is duct ectasia associated with?

Answer 8

Smoking

Question 9

Is a phyllodes tumour benign or malignant?

Answer 9

It is a spectrum

Question 10

Describe the spectrum of epithelial proliferation in intraduct papillomas

Answer 10

Usual type hyperplasia ->
Atypical ductal hyperplasia ->
Ductal carcinoma in situ

Question 11

What are 5 types of cancer that metastasise to the breast?

Answer 11

Bronchial
Ovarian serous carcinoma
Clear cell carcinoma of the kidney
Malignant melanoma
Leiomyosarcoma

Question 12

What are the precursor lesions of lobular breast carcinoma?

Answer 12

Lobular in situ neoplasia (atypical lobular hyperplasia, lobular carcinoma in situ)

Question 13

What is the worry if lobular in situ neoplasia is found on core biopsy?

Answer 13

That there will be a higher grade lesion elsewhere

Need to do follow up excision or vacuum biopsy