Pathology of the Breast Flashcards
What extends between the lactiferous ducts and the lobules?
Collagenous stroma
What is Paget’s disease?
Cancer of the breast that results from underlying DCIS, and manifests as an eczema-like rash of the nipple and areola. May have bloody discharge.
What is DCIS?
A precancerous growth of the breast in the cell found lining the ducts.
Carcinoma of the terminal duct?
Tubular carcinoma
True or false: increased estrogen exposure is a risk factor for breast CA
True
What is the relationship between the number of estrogen cycles and the development of breast cancer?
increased number = increased risk
True or false: older age at first live birth is a risk factor for breast cancer
True
What are the two genetic mutations that result in breast cancer?
BRCA1 and BRCA2
What ethnicity is breast cancer more common in?
Blacks
What is the relationship between obesity and breast cancer?
Increased
When do malignant breast tumors usually arise?
Postmenopausal
Where in the breast are breast tumors usually found?
Upper-outer quadrant
Overexpression of what two receptors are commonly found with breast cancers?
HER-2/neu
Triple negative breast cancers (ER-, PR-, HER-) have a better or worse prognosis?
Worse
What is the single most important prognostic factor for breast cancers?
Lymph node involvement
What is the most common invasive carcinoma of the breast? Second?
- Ductal carcinoma (80%)
2. Lobular carcinoma (10%)
How common is inflammatory carcinoma?
Rare
Bloody nipple discharge is most often caused by what?
Intraductal papilloma–benign
Which breast (left/right) more commonly develops breast cancer?
Left
What are the two least common invasive breast cancers?
Inflammatory carcinoma
Papillary carcinoma
What are the three routes of spread for breast carcinomas? Which is most common?
Local
Lymphatic
Hematogenous
What are the organs that breast cancers likes to met to? (4)
Lungs
Liver
Bones
Brain
What is the 5 years survival for the stage 0,1, and 2 of breast cancer?
0 = 92% 1 = 87% 2 = 75%
What type of breast discharge is suggestive of breast cancer?
Bloody
What type of calcifications on mammography is suggestive of breast cancer?
Pleomorphic
What characteristics of lymph node involvement are the most important prognostic factors?
Size
Grade
Ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) arises from what cells?
Atypical ductal atypia
True or false: Ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) usually fills the ductal lumen
True
Ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) is often seen early on mammography as what?
Microcalcifications on mammography
True or false: Ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) is usually palpable
False–usually not
What is the key histological findings of Ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS)?
BM is intact around pleomorphic cells
What is comedocarcinoma?
subtype of Ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) characterized by ductal caseous necrosis
What are the histological characteristics of Comedocarcinoma?
Central Ductal caseous necrosis surrounded by cancer cells, but still NO penetration of the BM
Central Ductal caseous necrosis surrounded by cancer cells, but without penetration of the BM = which cancer?
Comedocarcinoma
What is Paget’s disease of the breast? (presentation)
Results from underlying DCIS, with eczematous patches on the nipple
What are the histological characteristics of Paget’s cells?
Large cells in the epidermis with clear halo
Large cells in the epidermis with clear halo = which cancer?
Paget’s disease of the breast
How does Paget’s disease of the breast present clinically?
eczematous patches on the nipple