Invasive lobular carcinoma with extracellular mucin as a distinct variant of lobular carcinoma: a case report

Hacer Haltas,Sibel Yenidunya,Dilek Kosehan,Meral Sen,Reyhan Bayrak,Kayihan Akin

doi:10.1186/1746-1596-7-91

Abstract

The differences between invasive lobular and ductal carcinomas affect the diagnostic and therapeutic management for patients with breast cancer. In most cases, this can be accomplished because of distinct histomorphologic features. However, occasionally, this task may become quite difficult, in particular when dealing with the variants of infiltrating lobular carcinoma. Lobular carcinoma has been considered a variant of mucin-secreting carcinoma with only intracytoplasmic mucin. The presence of extracellular mucin is a feature of ductal carcinoma. Herein is presented a case of lobular carcinoma with extracellular and intracellular mucin in a 43-year-old female patient, and confirmed by immunohistochemistry. Up to the present, infiltrating lobular carcinoma displaying extracellular mucin has not been described in the literature except two case.Virtual slidesThe virtual slide(s) for this article can be found here: http://www.diagnosticpathology.diagnomx.eu/vs/1839906067716744

Highlights

The majority of invasive breast carcinomas are categorized as ductal carcinoma
* Correspondence: hhaltas@hotmail.com 1Department of Pathology, Fatih University School of Medicine, No:57 06510 Ankara, Turkey 4Fatih Üniversitesi Tıp Fakültesi, Alparslan Türkeş cad, No:57 06510 Ankara, Turkey Full list of author information is available at the end of the article the only 2 cases of mammary invasive lobular carcinoma with extracellular mucin have been described in the English written literature [7,8]
Generally accepted histological criteria serve to distinguish lobular from ductal carcinoma of the breast, this differential diagnosis may present a challenge in some variants of the tumors showing equivocal histological features [4]

Summary

Introduction

The majority of invasive breast carcinomas are categorized as ductal carcinoma. Invasive lobular carcinoma (ILC) is the second most common histological type of breast carcinoma, accounting for approximately 5%–15% of all invasive breast cancers [1,2]. Extracellular mucin secretion is known as a feature of ductal carcinoma [4]. We present a case of lobular carcinoma with extracellular mucin and signet ring component. * Correspondence: hhaltas@hotmail.com 1Department of Pathology, Fatih University School of Medicine, No:57 06510 Ankara, Turkey 4Fatih Üniversitesi Tıp Fakültesi, Alparslan Türkeş cad, No:57 06510 Ankara, Turkey Full list of author information is available at the end of the article the only 2 cases of mammary invasive lobular carcinoma with extracellular mucin have been described in the English written literature [7,8].

Results

Conclusion