Medullary breast carcinoma in an 18-year-old female: Report on one case diagnosed on fine-needle cytology sample

• Published in: Diagnostic cytopathology 2014-05, Vol.42 (5), p.445-448
• Main Authors: Galzerano, Antonio, Rocco, Nicola, Accurso, Antonello, Ciancia, Giuseppe, Campanile, Anna Cipolletta, Caccavello, Ferdinando, Fulciniti, Franco
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adolescent; Biopsy, Fine-Needle; BRCA1 Protein - genetics; breast neoplasms; Breast Neoplasms - diagnosis; Breast Neoplasms - genetics; Breast Neoplasms - pathology; Carcinoma, Medullary - diagnosis; Carcinoma, Medullary - genetics; Carcinoma, Medullary - pathology; Female; fine-needle cytology; Humans; juvenile breast carcinoma; medullary breast carcinoma; Mutation; Neoplasm Grading
• ISSN: 8755-1039; 1097-0339
• DOI: 10.1002/dc.22947

Medullary breast carcinoma (MBC) is a rare epithelial malignancy of the breast accounting for about 1–7% of all breast carcinomas. It is characterized by well‐defined borders, a syncytial/solid pattern of growth of high grade atypical cells showing no glandular differentiation and a massive diffuse lympho‐plasmacytic peritumoral infiltrate. Despite the high‐grade atypias characterizing this neoplasm, MBC has been reported to have a better prognosis when compared with the common infiltrating duct carcinoma. MBCs typically lack estrogen and progesterone receptor (ER and PgR) expression and have a low incidence of ERBB2 overexpression. Genetically, they are often associated with BRCA‐1 oncogene mutations and TP53 alterations. While MBC generally occurs in middle‐aged women, ranging from 45 to 52 years of age, we report the case of a 18‐year‐old female patient which was diagnosed by means of fine‐needle cytology sample. Diagn. Cytopathol. 2014;42:445–448. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.