Breast Physiology and Benign Diseases 2 Flashcards

To describe basic breast histology and the changes that occur over a woman's lifetime.

1
Q

What is the nipple-areola complex?

A
  • —The skin of the nipple contains sebaceous and apocrine glands
  • —Smooth muscle bundles are interspersed between the ducts in the nipple
  • —Nipple erection, emptying of milk from the ducts/sinuses when lactating
  • —Areola has Montgomery’s glands/tubercles, smooth muscle fibers and peripheral hair follicles
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2
Q

What are the features of basic breast hisology?

A
  • —Constantly in flux, analogous to the endometrium
  • —Basic histology:
    • ducts and lobules
    • epithelial (ductal) cells
    • myoepithelial cells
    • specialized stroma and fat
  • —Most lesions including cancers arise from the so-called “terminal ductal lobular unit” or TDLU.
  • —Majority of breast in resting state is stroma, proportion of which is fibrous or fatty varies, partly with age
  • ——Size of mammary lobules, number of acini and appearance of epithelial cells is also variable:
    • —phase of menstrual cycle
    • inactive vs active (lactating) breast
    • age of woman
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3
Q

What happens to breast histology during pregnancy and lactation?

A
  • Number of lobules and number of acini within each lobule increase at the expense of intralobular and extralobular stroma
  • Luminal epithelial cells with cytoplasmic vacuoles, often protruding into the lumen
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4
Q

What are important features of post-menopausal breast tissue?

A

Postmenopausal breast consists largely of adipose tissue containing a few residual ducts and vessels.

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