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Frontiers in Medicine 2024Granulomatous lobular mastitis (GLM) is a rare inflammatory breast disease with unknown etiology, characterized by non-caseous granulomatous inflammation of the lobules,... (Review)
Review
Granulomatous lobular mastitis (GLM) is a rare inflammatory breast disease with unknown etiology, characterized by non-caseous granulomatous inflammation of the lobules, which infiltrate lymphocytes, neutrophils, plasma cells, monocytes, and eosinophils may accompany. GLM is often misdiagnosed as breast cancer due to the lack of specificity in clinical and imaging examinations, and therefore histopathology is the main basis for confirming the diagnosis. This review provides an overview of the pathological features of granulomatous lobular mastitis and cystic neutrophil granulomatous mastitis (CNGM, a pathologic subtype of GLM). As well as pathologic manifestations of other breast diseases that need to be differentiated from granulomatous lobular mastitis such as breast tuberculosis, lymphocytic mastopathy/diabetic mastopathy, IgG4-related sclerosing mastitis (IgG4-RSM), nodular disease, Wegener's granulomatosis, and plasma cell mastitis. Besides, discusses GLM and CNGM, GLM and breast cancer, emphasizing that their relationship deserves further in-depth exploration. The pathogenesis of GLM has not yet been clearly articulated and needs to be further explored, pathology enables direct observation of the microscopic manifestations of the disease and contributes to further investigation of the pathogenesis.
PubMed: 38371511
DOI: 10.3389/fmed.2024.1326587 -
Surgical Case Reports Nov 2023Primary angiosarcomas of the breast are rare and highly aggressive. We herein report a rare case of multiple angiosarcomas detected concurrently in both breasts.
BACKGROUND
Primary angiosarcomas of the breast are rare and highly aggressive. We herein report a rare case of multiple angiosarcomas detected concurrently in both breasts.
CASE PRESENTATION
A 49-year-old woman visited a doctor after noticing a lump in her right breast. At that time, mammography and ultrasonography revealed no abnormal findings in either breast. She was referred to our hospital 5 months later, because screening mammography had revealed a focal asymmetric density in her right breast. Ultrasonography showed ill-defined hyper- and hypo-echoic lesions in both breasts. Magnetic resonance imaging disclosed five heterogeneously enhanced masses (5.8 cm in maximum diameter) in the right breast and six enhanced masses (approximately 1-3 cm in diameter) in the left breast. Histological examination of core needle biopsies revealed proliferation of irregularly shaped vascular channels lined by atypical endothelial cells throughout the adipose tissue and lobules of the breasts, leading to a diagnosis of well-differentiated angiosarcoma. The lesions were assumed to be primary angiosarcomas, because she had neither a history of breast surgery nor of radiation therapy. She underwent bilateral mastectomies and postoperative chest wall irradiation. Computed tomography 11 weeks after the surgery revealed multiple, small, subcutaneous nodules in the chest wall that were suspected of being angiosarcoma metastases. We started chemotherapy (weekly paclitaxel 80 mg/m), which achieved shrinkage of these nodules within 2 months.
CONCLUSIONS
Early diagnosis, immediate initiation of local and systemic therapies, and intensive follow-up are important in improving the prognosis of angiosarcomas.
PubMed: 38015377
DOI: 10.1186/s40792-023-01782-w -
Surgical Case Reports Dec 2023Adenomyoepithelioma (AME) of the breast is an uncommon tumor characterized by the proliferation of ductal epithelial and myoepithelial cells with the heterogeneity....
BACKGROUND
Adenomyoepithelioma (AME) of the breast is an uncommon tumor characterized by the proliferation of ductal epithelial and myoepithelial cells with the heterogeneity. Although benign AME is relatively easy to differentiate from breast cancer by core needle biopsy (CNB) alone, a definitive diagnosis is often difficult. The imaging findings of AME are also variable, and there are particularly few reports about radiological features, including contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) values in AME.
CASE PRESENTATION
We present two cases of benign AME. Case 1 is a 30-year-old woman with a history of asthma. The cystic tumor shows smooth borders, and the intracystic solid component is irregular in shape and high vascularity. The pathological findings of the tumor were benign on CNB. The MRI scan showed a decreased ADC value. Case 2 is a 60-year-old woman with only a history of arrhythmia. The tumor shows a lobulated mass with cystic space and coarse calcifications. The pathological findings of the tumor were found to be benign by CNB. Dynamic MRI scan showed a fast washout pattern with a decreased ADC value. Both patients underwent excisional biopsy to confirm the diagnosis, and the pathological diagnosis was benign AME in both cases.
CONCLUSIONS
The AME of the breast has little specific imaging information, so it can be difficult to diagnose based on pathological findings of biopsy specimen. In our case, the ADC values were exceptionally low, contrary to previous reports. It is essential to carefully diagnose AME, considering the discrepancies in imaging findings observed in this case.
PubMed: 38123876
DOI: 10.1186/s40792-023-01793-7 -
Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology... Jul 2023To review imaging findings in chemotherapy-associated liver morphological changes in hepatic metastases (CALMCHeM) on computed tomography (CT)/magnetic resonance imaging...
PURPOSE
To review imaging findings in chemotherapy-associated liver morphological changes in hepatic metastases (CALMCHeM) on computed tomography (CT)/magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and its association with tumor burden.
METHODS
We performed a retrospective chart review to identify patients with hepatic metastases who received chemotherapy and subsequent follow-up imaging where CT or MRI showed morphological changes in the liver. The morphological changes searched for were nodularity, capsular retraction, hypodense fibrotic bands, lobulated outline, atrophy or hypertrophy of segments or lobes, widened fissures, and one or more features of portal hypertension (splenomegaly/venous collaterals/ascites). The inclusion criteria were as follows: a) no known chronic liver disease; b) availability of CT or MRI images before chemotherapy that showed no morphological signs of chronic liver disease; c) at least one follow-up CT or MRI image demonstrating CALMCHeM after chemotherapy. Two radiologists in consensus graded the initial hepatic metastases tumor burden according to number (≤10 and >10), lobe distribution (single or both lobes), and liver parenchyma volume affected (<50%, or ≥50%). Imaging features after treatment were graded according to a pre-defined qualitative assessment scale of "normal," "mild," "moderate," or "severe." Descriptive statistics were performed with binary groups based on the number, lobar distribution, type, and volume of the liver affected. Chi-square and t-tests were used for comparative statistics. The Cox proportional hazard model was used to determine the association between severe CALMCHeM changes and age, sex, tumor burden, and primary carcinoma type.
RESULTS
A total of 219 patients met the inclusion criteria. The most common primaries were from breast (58.4%), colorectal (14.2%), and neuroendocrine (11.0%) carcinomas. Hepatic metastases were discrete in 54.8% of cases, confluent in 38.8%, and diffuse in 6.4%. The number of metastases was >10 in 64.4% of patients. The volume of liver involved was <50% in 79.8% and ≥50% in 20.2% of cases. The severity of CALMCHeM at the first imaging follow-up was associated with a larger number of metastases ( = 0.002) and volume of the liver affected ( = 0.015). The severity of CALMCHeM had progressed to moderate to severe changes in 85.9% of patients, and 72.5% of patients had one or more features of portal hypertension at the last follow-up. The most common features at the final follow-up were nodularity (95.0%), capsular retraction (93.4%), atrophy (66.2%), and ascites (65.7%). The Cox proportional hazard model showed metastases affected ≥50% of the liver ( = 0.033), and the female gender ( = 0.004) was independently associated with severe CALMCHeM.
CONCLUSION
CALMCHeM can be observed with a wide variety of malignancies, is progressive in severity, and the severity correlates with the initial metastatic liver disease burden.
Topics: Female; Humans; Ascites; Hypertension, Portal; Liver Neoplasms; Retrospective Studies; Male
PubMed: 37310196
DOI: 10.4274/dir.2023.232299 -
Thoracic Cancer Apr 2024The aim of this study was to compare breast cancer patients with pulmonary oligometastases (POM) and primary lung cancer (PLC) and to assess whether there were...
BACKGROUND
The aim of this study was to compare breast cancer patients with pulmonary oligometastases (POM) and primary lung cancer (PLC) and to assess whether there were differences in clinical features, CT features, and survival outcomes between the two groups.
METHODS
From January 2010 to December 2021, the clinical records of 437 with malignant pulmonary nodules who had breast cancer patients were reviewed. POM was identified in 45 patients and PLC in 43 patients after the initial detection of pulmonary nodules. The clinicopathological characteristics, CT appearance of pulmonary nodules, and survival of the two groups were compared.
RESULTS
Stage II to IV breast tumors (p < 0.001), high pathological grade of breast cancer (p = 0.001), low proportion of luminal-type breast cancer (p = 0.003), and the higher serum CYFRA 21-1 level (p = 0.046) were the clinical characteristics of pulmonary nodules suggestive of POM rather than PLC. The CT features of lung nodules indicative of PLC rather than POM were the subsolid component (p < 0.001), lobulation (p = 0.010), air bronchogram (p < 0.001) and pleural indentation (p = 0.004). Ten-year survival rate for PLC was 93.2%, which was higher compared with 57.8% in those with POM (p = 0.001).
CONCLUSIONS
Elevated serum CYFRA 21-1 levels and late-stage breast cancer may be beneficial for the diagnosis of POM. CT imaging appearances of the subsolid component, lobulation, air bronchogram, and pleural indentation increase the likelihood of PLC. Breast cancer patients with PLC presented better survival with attentive monitoring than those with POM.
Topics: Humans; Female; Lung Neoplasms; Breast Neoplasms; Middle Aged; Survival Analysis; Aged; Adult; Retrospective Studies; Prognosis; Tomography, X-Ray Computed
PubMed: 38494913
DOI: 10.1111/1759-7714.15285 -
Radiology Case Reports Apr 2024Lymphoma is the most frequent hematologic malignancy that involves the breast. It represents less than 1% of all breast cancer. The most common subtype is the secondary...
Lymphoma is the most frequent hematologic malignancy that involves the breast. It represents less than 1% of all breast cancer. The most common subtype is the secondary B-cell lymphoma. Clinically, lymphomas are divided into primary and secondary breast lymphoma. We presented a case of 49-year-old female, who has diagnosed of Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma, finalizing the treatment 2 months ago. Currently, she came for a check-up due to a palpable lump in the right breast. Mammography shows a dense, oval, and circumscribed mass. Ultrasound revealed a 3.6 cm oval, hypoechoic, lobulated mass with internal vascularity at color Doppler. Axillary nodes show cortical thickening of 7 mm, cortical blood flood, and absence of fatty hilum. The histopathology report corresponds to infiltration of the right breast and bilateral axillary nodes by Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma. This case corresponds with lymphoma recurrence manifested in breast. The diagnosis of lymphoma is an imaging challenge that simulates benign and malignant pathologies.
PubMed: 38292778
DOI: 10.1016/j.radcr.2023.12.018 -
International Journal of Molecular... Jun 2023Classic diffusely infiltrating lobular carcinoma has imaging features divergent from the breast cancers originating from the terminal ductal lobular units and from the...
Classic diffusely infiltrating lobular carcinoma has imaging features divergent from the breast cancers originating from the terminal ductal lobular units and from the major lactiferous ducts. Although the term "invasive lobular carcinoma" implies a site of origin within the breast lobular epithelium, we were unable to find evidence supporting this assumption. Exceptional excess of fibrous connective tissue and the unique cell architecture combined with the aberrant features at breast imaging suggest that this breast malignancy has not originated from cells lining the breast ducts and lobules. The only remaining relevant component of the fibroglandular tissue is the mesenchyme. The cells freshly isolated and cultured from diffusely infiltrating lobular carcinoma cases contained epithelial-mesenchymal hybrid cells with both epithelial and mesenchymal properties. The radiologic and histopathologic features of the tumours and expression of the mesenchymal stem cell positive markers CD73, CD90, and CD105 all suggest development in the direction of mesenchymal transition. These hybrid cells have tumour-initiating potential and have been shown to have poor prognosis and resistance to therapy targeted for malignancies of breast epithelial origin. Our work emphasizes the need for new approaches to the diagnosis and therapy of this highly fatal breast cancer subtype.
Topics: Humans; Female; Carcinoma, Lobular; Breast Neoplasms; Breast; Epithelial Cells; Mammary Glands, Human; Carcinoma, Ductal, Breast
PubMed: 37445938
DOI: 10.3390/ijms241310752 -
Annals of Medicine and Surgery (2012) Jan 2024Hemangioma is a common benign tumor resulting from abnormal blood vessel growth but is infrequent in the breast. Preoperatively, it is challenging to diagnose breast...
BACKGROUND
Hemangioma is a common benign tumor resulting from abnormal blood vessel growth but is infrequent in the breast. Preoperatively, it is challenging to diagnose breast hemangioma using clinical and conventional imaging modalities because of their lack of pathognomonic characteristics. An excisional biopsy can be used for tissue diagnosis in cases of diagnostic uncertainty.
CASE PRESENTATION
The authors report a case of cavernous hemangioma of the breast in a 15-year-old adolescent female complaining of a rapidly enlarging firm and mobile lump in the right breast. Breast ultrasonography revealed a well-circumscribed, encapsulated, heteroechoic mass with smooth margins in the retroareolar region of the right breast. Subsequent excision of the lump revealed features of a cavernous hemangioma, and the follow-up was uneventful.
DISCUSSION
Cavernous hemangioma of the breast is a rare entity, and its diagnosis poses a significant challenge for clinicians, as the lump may not be noticeable. The clinical diagnosis is challenging; therefore, imaging is required. Breast ultrasonography typically shows a hypoechoic lobulated mass with clear borders, although isoechoic and hyperechoic appearances are also possible. Breast mammography revealed a well-defined mass with areas of calcification. Surgical excision is often necessary when there is a discordance between imaging and histopathological findings, lesions greater than 2 cm, and atypical/malignant features.
CONCLUSION
Breast hemangiomas are rare benign tumors with nonspecific imaging features that require tissue sampling for diagnosis. Clinicians should be familiar with these characteristics to ensure proper management.
PubMed: 38222768
DOI: 10.1097/MS9.0000000000001532