Clinical and pathological features of glycogen-rich clear cell carcinoma of the breast

Abstract

Twenty cases of invasive ductal carcinoma of the breast with a pure or partial glycogen-rich clear cell carcinoma(GRCC)component are reported. GRCC of the breast is composed almost entirely of polygonal cells with clear cytoplasm. These contain large amounts of partly water-soluble glycogen. The cases were analyzed using various parameters, including age at presentation, tumor size, tumor grade, axillary lymph node and Her2/neu status. Between 1990 and 2004, 723 patients with primary breast carcinomas were treated and clinicopathologic analysis was performed. 20 cases were identified as GRCC among the 723 cases. The patients' age at presentation ranged from 33 to 68 years (mean, 52 years). Tumor size ranged from 1 to 6.5 cm (mean, 2.6 cm); 35% (7 of 20) of cases that underwent axillary dissection had positive lymph nodes. Among 15 of 20 cases who were followed for 1-72 months, 5 cases died from their breast carcinoma within 5 years following the diagnosis. Our series included more small size carcinomas than did previous series. Lymph node status does not appear to be markedly different from that of the usual invasive ductal carcinomas. Her2/neu expression was similar to that found in common breast carcinomas.