Week 7- breast week Flashcards
What makes up the secretory tissue of the breast?
15-25 lobes, which each consist of tubule-acinar glands which drain via a series of ducts to the nipple.
What is directly next to the secretory lobules?
What is adjacent to this?
Deep fibrous tissue.
Adipose tissue is then next to this.
What are suspensory ligaments made of?
Condensed fibrous tissue.
Where do the suspensory ligaments in the breast run from?
The dermis of the skin to the deep fascia overlying the muscles on the anterior chest wall.
What is a basic functional secretory unit of the breast?
Terminal duct lobular unit.
In the non-lactating breast, where do the terminal ducts lead?
Into an intralobular collecting duct which leads into the lactiferous duct for that lobe.
Where are the lactiferous ducts?
What is the name for the expanded area in the lactiferous duct.
They lead to the nipples. First it goes through an area of expanded duct called the lactiferous sinus before reaching the nipple.
What is another word for terminal ductal lobular unit?
Acini
Describe the drainage of the breast through the ductal system?
All lobules contain several terminal ductal lobular units. These (also known as acini) drain too the intralobular collecting system, then the extra lobular collecting system and then into the lactiferous duct. The lactiferous duct then enlarges to form the lactiferous sinus and then exits via the nipple.
What lines the acini (terminal ductal lobular unit)?
Secretory epithelial cells. They vary from columnar to cuboidal.
What surrounds the secretory cells of the acini?
What is the function of this cell?
Myoepithelial cells.
They are contractile epithelial cells which in turn are surrounded by basal lamina.
What lines larger ducts (e.g.lactiferous duct)
The epithelium varies from thin stratified squamous to stratified cuboidal.
Also myoepithelial cells are present.
What are mammary glands said to be like?
Sweat glands that are slightly modified.
What covers the surface of the nipple?
Stratified squamous keratinised epithelium.
What makes up the core of the nipple?
Dense connective tissue (fibrocollagenous) mixed with bundles of smooth muscle.
What ducts are present within the nipple?
Lactiferous ducts.
Describe the change in lining of the lactiferous duct from deep to superficial?
Deep- it will be stratified cuboidal epithelium
Nearer the surface- stratified squamous epithelium.
What other glands can be found in the nipple?
Sebaceous glands.
What occurs during the luteal phase of menstruation to the glands in the nipple?
Epithelial cells increase in height.
The lumina of the ducts becomes enlarged
Small amounts of secretion in the ducts.
If pregnancy occurs, what changes take place to the breasts?
Elongation and branching of the smaller ducts.
Proliferation of cells of the glands and myoepithelial cells
In the second trimester- glandular tissue continues to develop with differentiation of secretory alveoli
Plasma and lymphocytes infiltrate into the connective tissue.
In the third trimester alveoli continue to mature, with development of extensive RER.
Also a reduction in connective tissue and adipose tissue.
During pregnancy, what does oestrogen and progesterone stimulate?
Proliferation of secretory tissue and fibro-fatty tissue becomes sparse.
What is the composition of human milk?
88% water
1.5% protein
7% carbs
3.5% lipid
With small quantities of ions, vitamins and IgA antibodies.
What is an apocrine secretion?
Lipid droplets surrounded by membrane and carrying a small amount of cytoplasm.
Where are the proteins in milk made?
What sort of secretion is this?
RER. Packaged in the Golgi body and secreted via vesicles which merge with the apical membrane to release contents into the duct system.
Merocrine secretion.
What occurs to the mammary glands in menopause?
The secretory cells in the terminal ductal lobular units degenerate.
In the connective tissue- there are fewer fibroblasts and reduced collagen and elastic fibres.
Which ways can you obtain cytopathology samples of the breast?
Fine needle aspiration
Fluid
Nipple discharge
Nipple scrape
How would you interpret fine needle aspiration results?
C1- Unsatisfactory sample C2- benign C3- Atypia- probably benign C4- Suspicious of malignancy C5- malignant.
What is the difference between cytopathology and histopathology?
Cytopathology- studies cells
Histopathology- studies whole tissues.
Which ways can you obtain a histopathology sample?
Needle (core) biopsy
Vacuum assisted biopsy (takes a large volume)
Skin biopsy
Incisional biopsy of mass
How would you interpret core biopsy results?
B1- Unsatisfactory B2- benign B3- atypia- probably benign B4- suspicious of malignancy B5-malignant
What distinguishes a carcinoma in situ from an invasive carcinoma on core biopsy results?
B5a- carcinoma in situ
B5b- Invasive carcinoma
What is a mastectomy?
An operation to remove the breast.
What developmental anomalies can cause benign pathology in the breast?
Hypoplasia- underdevelopment
Juvenile hypertrophy- increase in size of cells
Accessory breast tissue
Accessory nipple- an extra nipple.
What non-neoplastic growths can cause benign breast pathology?
Gynaecomastia- excess prolactin
Fibrocystic change- breasts feel lumpy due to hormonal changes.
Hamartoma- a benign tumor-like structure.
Fibroadenoma
Sclerosing lesions
What inflammatory causes can cause benign breast pathology?
Mastitis
Fat necrosis
Duct ectasia (distention)
What tumours are benign in breast pathology?
Phyllodes tumour
Intraduct papilloma
What occurs in gynaecomastia?
This is breast development in the male due to ductal growth within lobular development.
(Basically the tubes that lead to the nipple grow).
What causes gynaecomastia?
Exogenous/endogenous hormones
Cannabis
Prescription drugs
Liver disease
Who gets fibrocystic change in the breast?
Women aged 20-50.
Tends to occur in people with menstrual abnormalities, early menopause, late menopause.
It often resolves after menopause.
How do fibrocystic changes present?
Small lumps on the breasts
Could have sudden pain, cyclical pain (due to normal monthly changes in hormones), could be incidentally found or on screening.
Describe the gross pathology of fibrocystic changes in the breast?
Blue domed cysts filled with pale fluid. Ranging from 1mm to several cms.
Is fibrocystic breast associated with any other benign pathology?
Yes.
Describe the cell structure of the cysts you are likely to find in fibrocystic breasts?
Thin walled cysts lined by apocrine endothelium. May have a fibrotic wall.
What is metaplasia?
The change from one fully differentiated cell type to another fully differentiated cell type.
How do you manage fibrocystic breasts?
Exclude malignancy
Reassure the patient
Excise if necessary
What is a hamartoma?
Circumscribed lesion made of cell types present in the breast however in an abnormal proportion or distribution.
What is a fibroadenoma?
A solid, non cancerous breast lump. It might feel firm, smooth, rubbery or hard and has a well circumscribed shape.
What ethnicity are fibroadenomas common in?
African women
How are fibroadenomas picked up?
Commonly in screening. Will be solid on ultrasound.
Will have a painless, discrete, MOBILE (as in can be moved) mass.
What is meant by biphasic fibroadenoma?
Two essential components- a stromal and an epithelial component.
(NOTE- determination of the stromal composition aids diagnosis).
How do you manage fibroadenomas?
Diagnose- exclude malignancy
Reassure
Excise if necessary
What is meant by sclerosing?
Hardening of tissues due to infiltration of fibrous interstitial or glial tissue.
What is sclerosing adenosis?
Proliferation of breast tissue where some of it has become hard and sclerosed.
What is a radial scar?
A benign lesion that mimics malignancy on radiographs.