Mucinous breast carcinoma

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Mucinous breast carcinoma is an uncommon form of breast cancer that has a good prognosis compared to the common invasive ductal carcinoma.

Mucinous breast carcinoma
Diagnosis in short

Mucinous breast carcinoma. H&E stain.

LM malignant mucin producing glands - where mucinous component must comprise >90% of the tumour, tumour cells should float in the mucin, glands typically have irregular edges, +/-vessels within the mucin pools
LM DDx other type of breast cancer with a mucinous component (very common), other mucinous tumours
IHC ER +ve, PR +ve, HER2 -ve
Gross pale, glistening, jelly-like appearance
Site breast - see invasive breast cancer

Prevalence uncommon
Prognosis good compared to the usual ductal carcinoma
Clin. DDx other breast tumours

It is also known as mucinous carcinoma of the breast, and colloid carcinoma of the breast.

General

  • Rare.
  • Good prognosis.[1]
  • Usually older women.

Gross

  • Pale, glistening, jelly-like appearance.
  • Well-circumscribed.

Image:

Microscopic

Features:

  • Malignant mucin producing glands.
    • Mucinous component must comprise >90% of the tumour - required for diagnosis.[2]
    • Cells should float in the mucin - key feature.
    • Glands typically have irregular edges.
    • +/-Vessels within the mucin pools.

DDx:

  • DCIS with a mucinous component.
    • Mucin has a homogenous appearance, mucin lacks vascularization, mucin pools have a regular border.
  • Invasive ductal carcinoma of the breast with a mucinous component - more common than mucinous breast carcinoma.

Note:

  • The amount of mucinous component to call mucinous carcinoma varies by anatomical site.
  • All mucinous lesions should be excised.[3]

Images

IHC

  • ER +ve.
  • PR +ve.
  • HER2 -ve.

See also

References

  1. Barkley, CR.; Ligibel, JA.; Wong, JS.; Lipsitz, S.; Smith, BL.; Golshan, M. (Oct 2008). "Mucinous breast carcinoma: a large contemporary series.". Am J Surg 196 (4): 549-51. doi:10.1016/j.amjsurg.2008.06.013. PMID 18809061.
  2. Dogan, E.; Aksoy, S.; Dizdar, O.; Arslan, C.; Dede, DS.; Ozisik, Y.; Altundag, K.. "Pure mucinous carcinoma of the breast: a single center experience.". J BUON 16 (3): 565-7. PMID 22006768.
  3. Jacobs, TW.; Connolly, JL.; Schnitt, SJ. (Sep 2002). "Nonmalignant lesions in breast core needle biopsies: to excise or not to excise?". Am J Surg Pathol 26 (9): 1095-110. PMID 12218567.