J Korean Surg Soc.  2002 Sep;63(3):247-251.

Case of a Cystic Hypersecretory Duct Carcinoma of the Breast

• Lee SC
• Kim KH
• Ahn CH
• Park WC
• Oh SJ
• Kim JS
• Jeon HM
• Yoo SJ
• Jung SS
• Lim KW

Abstract

Breast cystic hypersecretory duct carcinomas (CHDC), characterized by cystic dilatation of ducts, cysts filled with thyroid colloid-like eosinophilic material, and by micropapillary carcinomas in the epithelium lining the cyst, is a rare histological variant of intraductal carcinomas. CHDC is differentiated from cystic hypersecretory hyperplasia. It's clinical manifestations are similar to those of other intraductal carcinomas. CHDC has a low-grade behavior for many years, but can be invasive, with the potential for metastasis. The importance of CHDC is its differentiation from a variety of other lesions of the breast, both benign and malignant. Various differential diagnoses for CHDC include: fibrocystic changes of the breast with microcyst formation, juvenile papillomatosis, benign mucocele-like lesions, juvenile secretory carcinomas, mucin-producing colloid carcinomas and metastatic follicular thyroid carcinomas. Histochemical staining (PAS, alcian blue and mucicarmine) or immunoperoxidase studies (CEA, alpha-lactalbumin and thyroglobulin) may also helpful in differential diagnoses. We report a case of a cystic hypersecretory duct carcinoma (CHDC) of the breast, and present a review of the literature.

Keyword

Breast cancer; Hypersecretory; Cystic

MeSH Terms

Adenocarcinoma, Follicular
Adenocarcinoma, Mucinous
Alcian Blue
Breast Cyst
Breast Neoplasms
Breast*
Carcinoma, Intraductal, Noninfiltrating
Diagnosis, Differential
Dilatation
Eosinophils
Epithelium
Hyperplasia
Lactalbumin
Neoplasm Metastasis
Papilloma
Thyroid Gland
Alcian Blue
Lactalbumin