Non-invasive breast carcinoma
Non-invasive breast cancer is a common entity... since the introduction of radiologic breast screening.
It can neatly be divided into the discussion of two entities:
- Ductal carcinoma in situ, and,
- Lobular carcinoma in situ.
Invasive breast cancer is dealt with in the article invasive breast cancer.
Ductal neoplasia
Overview
This category includes:
- Atypical ductal hyperplasia (ADH).
- Ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS).
The difference between ADH and DCIS is:
- The degree of nuclear atypia; high grade is DCIS.
- The extent; small lesions are ADH, large lesions (low-grade) DCIS.
Is it ductal neoplasia?
FEHUT versus ADH versus DCIS
- Breast duct lumen with too many cells; this is common problem is breast pathology.[1]
- The general DDx for this scenario is: EHUT versus ADH versus DCIS.
Notes:
- EHUT = epithelial hyperplasia of the usual type, AKA florid epithelial hyperplasia of the usual type (FEHUT).
- ADH = atypical ductal hyperplasia.
- DCIS = ductal carcinoma in situ.
Tabular comparison
Comparison of EHUT, ADH and DCIS (memory device: CLEAN = cell uniformity, luminal spaces, extent/size, arch., nuclei):
EHUT | ADH | DCIS | |
Cellular composition | varied | focal uniformity | uniform |
Lumina | slits/irregular spaces; cells haphazardly arranged around lumen |
irregular spaces, no slits | circular "punched-out"; cells side-by-side + equally spaced @ interface |
Extent | usually lobulocentric | limited extent | extensive |
Architecture | irregular/swirling | DCIS-like | DCIS architecture (solid, cribriform, papillary, micropapillary) |
Nuclei (intranuclear spacing) |
variable | hyperchromatic & uniform |
evenly spaced |
Treatment - implications:
- EHUT - nothing; EHUT is benign.
- ADH - simple excision, i.e. lumpectomy.
- DCIS - excision (lumpectomy) + radiation.
- Invasive ductal carcinoma - excision with sentinel lymph node biopsy (for staging)[2] and radiation.
- Positive sentinel node - systemic chemotherapy. (???)
Ductal carcinoma in situ
General
- Abbreviated DCIS.
- Diagnosis based on nuclear abnormalities and architecture.
- It is typically picked-up during radiologic screening.
Subtypes
Subtypes are based on architecture:
- Solid.
- No spaces between cells.
- Cribriform.
- Honeycomb-like appearance: circular holes.
- "Cookie cutter" appearance/"punched-out" appearance/"Roman bridges" -- cells surround the circular holes.
- Papillary.
- Papillae with fibrovascular cores.
- Micropapillary.
- Small papillae without fibrovascular cores.
- Have "drum stick" shape.
NOTE: comedonecrosis - used to be considered a separate subtype -- essentially solid type DCIS with necrosis.
Microscopic
Features:
- Cells cohesive.
- No spaces in between.
- Cells spaced equally - "cookie cutter" look.
- Cells line-up along lumen/glandular spaces - form "Roman briges".
- Nuclear changes:
- Nuclear enlargement - at least 2-3x size of RBC - key feature.
- Compared to RBCs to grade DCIS - see Grading DCIS.
- Compare sizes of nuclei if you cannot find RBCs.
- Compared to RBCs to grade DCIS - see Grading DCIS.
- Nuclear pleomorphism - important feature.
- Nuclear enlargement - at least 2-3x size of RBC - key feature.
- +/-Mitoses.
Note:
- Apocrine changes of cytoplasm -- nuclei should be ~4x RBC for low grade, 5x RBC for high grade.[3]
Grading DCIS
Graded 1-3 (low-high)[4] - compare lesional nuclei to one another.
- Grade 1:
- Nuclei 2-3x size of RBC.
- NO necrosis.
- Grade 2:
- Nuclei 2-3x size of RBC.
- +/-Necrosis.
- Grade 3:
- Nuclei >3x size of RBC.
- Necrosis usually present.
Notes:
- It is often hard to find RBCs when you want 'em. DCIS is pleomorphic.
- If no RBCs are present to compare with compare the nuclei to one another.
- If you see nuclei >3x larger than their neigbour you're ready to call DCIS Grade 3.
Size criteria for low-grade DCIS
DCIS must meet the following size criteria:[5]
- Two membrane-bound spaces - OR - 2 mm.
- If it isn't (low-grade) DCIS... it's atypical ductal hyperplasia (ADH).
The treatment is similar; ADH and DCIS are both excised.
The differences are:
- DCIS is cancer, i.e. this has life insurance implications.
- Radiation treatment - DCIS is irradiated; ADH does not get radiation.
Lobular neoplasia
Overview
Includes:
- Atypical lobular hyperplasia (ALH).
- Lobular carcinoma in situ (LCIS).
- These entities (ALH, LCIS) are near identical from a histomorphologic perspective.
- The difference is extent of involvement:
- ALH <50% of terminal duct lobular unit (TDLU) is involved.
- LCIS >=50% of TDLU is involved.
Atypical lobular hyperplasia
- Abbreviated ALH.
Microscopic
See LCIS.
Lobular carcinoma in situ
- Abbreviated LCIS.
General
- Management is currently some matter of debate.
- Not detected radiologically - it is an incidental pathologic finding.
Microscopic
- Cells distend the duct.
- Dyscohesive - distinct cell border visible.
- Clear cytoplasm (focally); may have signet ring cell-like appearance.
- Eccentrically placed round nucleus,
- Usually minimal atypia, relatively small ~1-2x size lymphocyte.
- +/-Nucleolus.
Memory device ABCDE:
- Atypia minimal.
- Borders of cells distinct.
- Clear cytoplasm.
- Distend duct.
- Eccentric nucleus.
Subclassification[7]
- Non-PLCIS.
- Type A.
- Nucleus 1-1.5x lymphocyte.
- No nucleolus.
- Type B.
- Nucleus ~2x lymphocyte.
- Nucleolus present.
- Type A.
- PLCIS (pleomorphic lobular carcinoma in situ).
Main DDx:
- Low-grade DCIS.
See also
References
- ↑ O'Malley, Frances P.; Pinder, Sarah E. (2006). Breast Pathology: A Volume in Foundations in Diagnostic Pathology series (1st ed.). Churchill Livingstone. pp. 167-8. ISBN 978-0443066801.
- ↑ Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy: What Breast Cancer Patients Need to Know. cancernews.com. URL: http://www.cancernews.com/data/Article/202.asp. Accessed on: 9 October 2009.
- ↑ URL: http://surgpathcriteria.stanford.edu/breast/dcis/apocrinedcis.html. Accessed on: 4 August 2011.
- ↑ URL: http://surgpathcriteria.stanford.edu/breast/dcis/
- ↑ O'Malley, Frances P.; Pinder, Sarah E. (2006). Breast Pathology: A Volume in Foundations in Diagnostic Pathology series (1st ed.). Churchill Livingstone. pp. 168. ISBN 978-0443066801.
- ↑ Weedman Molavi, Diana (2008). The Practice of Surgical Pathology: A Beginner's Guide to the Diagnostic Process (1st ed.). Springer. pp. 188. ISBN 978-0387744858.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 O'Malley, Frances P.; Pinder, Sarah E. (2006). Breast Pathology: A Volume in Foundations in Diagnostic Pathology series (1st ed.). Churchill Livingstone. pp. 170. ISBN 978-0443066801.