INTRODUCTION: Microinvasion (Mi) is often thought to be an interim stage between ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) and invasive ductal carcinoma. This study aimed to investigate the potential influence of Mi on survival and assess its correlations with clinicopathological parameters, prognosis and molecular markers. METHODS: The number of Mi foci in a cohort of 66 DCIS-Mi cases was assessed from haematoxylin and eosin-stained sections. Disease-free survival, clinicopathological parameters and biomarker expression were correlated with the number of Mi foci. RESULTS: Higher numbers of Mi foci were found in larger tumours (P = 0.031). CONCLUSION Greater extent of DCIS is associated with multifocal Mi.
Humans ; Female ; Carcinoma, Intraductal, Noninfiltrating ; Prognosis ; Disease-Free Survival ; Progression-Free Survival ; Breast Neoplasms ; Carcinoma, Ductal, Breast/pathology* ; Neoplasm Invasiveness

The characteristic genetic abnormality of neuroendocrine neoplasms (NENs), a heterogeneous group of tumors found in various organs, remains to be identified. Here, based on the analysis of the splicing variants of an oncogene Focal Adhesion Kinase (FAK) in The Cancer Genome Atlas datasets that contain 9193 patients of 33 cancer subtypes, we found that Box 6/Box 7-containing FAK variants (FAK^6/7) were observed in 7 (87.5%) of 8 pancreatic neuroendocrine carcinomas and 20 (11.76%) of 170 pancreatic ductal adenocarcinomas (PDACs). We tested FAK variants in 157 tumor samples collected from Chinese patients with pancreatic tumors, and found that FAK^6/7 was positive in 34 (75.6%) of 45 pancreatic NENs, 19 (47.5%) of 40 pancreatic solid pseudopapillary neoplasms, and 2 (2.9%) of 69 PDACs. We further tested FAK splicing variants in breast neuroendocrine carcinoma (BrNECs), and found that FAK^6/7 was positive in 14 (93.3%) of 15 BrNECs but 0 in 23 non-NEC breast cancers. We explored the underlying mechanisms and found that a splicing factor serine/arginine repetitive matrix protein 4 (SRRM4) was overexpressed in FAK^6/7-positive pancreatic tumors and breast tumors, which promoted the formation of FAK^6/7 in cells. These results suggested that FAK^6/7 could be a biomarker of NENs and represent a potential therapeutic target for these orphan diseases.
Female ; Humans ; Alternative Splicing ; Breast Neoplasms/metabolism* ; Carcinoma, Pancreatic Ductal/pathology* ; Focal Adhesion Protein-Tyrosine Kinases/therapeutic use* ; Nerve Tissue Proteins/genetics* ; Neuroendocrine Tumors/genetics* ; Oncogenes ; Pancreatic Neoplasms/metabolism*

Humans ; Female ; Carcinoma, Intraductal, Noninfiltrating/surgery* ; Thoracic Wall/pathology* ; Adenocarcinoma, Papillary ; Breast Neoplasms/surgery* ; Carcinoma, Ductal, Breast/pathology*

Objective: To investigate the histopathological and immunohistochemical characteristics of benign apocrine cystic papillary hyperplasia of the breast with loss of myoepithelial cell layer. Methods: The clinical data, histopathological features and immunohistochemical profile of patients with benign apocrine cystic papillary hyperplasia of breast with loss of myoepithelial cell layer from January 2016 to December 2021 were examined, in which six patients were identified. Results: All six patients were female, aged 36-61 years (median 46 years), who presented with a breast mass; three cases were from the left breast and three cases were from the right breast. Microscopic examination of all cases showed breast hyperplasia with apocrine cysts, accompanied by different degrees of micropapillary and papillary hyperplasia of apocrine cells. One case was associated with lobular carcinoma in situ, and one case was associated with apocrine ductal carcinoma in situ with intraductal dissemination in adenosis. Immunohistochemical staining of CK5/6, p63, SMA, SMMHC, Calponin and CD10 showed complete absence of myoepithelial cell layer surrounding ducts in apocrine cystic papillary hyperplasia. Conclusions: The myoepithelial cells of apocrine cystic papillary hyperplasia of the breast may undergo abnormal changes and may even be completely lost. The diagnosis should be comprehensively considered along with cytomorphological and histological features to avoid overdiagnosis.
Female ; Humans ; Epithelial Cells/pathology* ; Hyperplasia/pathology* ; Papilloma/pathology* ; Adult ; Middle Aged ; Mammary Glands, Human/pathology* ; Breast Neoplasms/pathology* ; Carcinoma, Lobular/complications* ; Carcinoma, Ductal/complications*

Breast/pathology* ; Breast Neoplasms/pathology* ; Carcinoma, Ductal, Breast/pathology* ; Carcinoma, Intraductal, Noninfiltrating/pathology* ; Consensus ; Female ; Humans

Objective: To investigate the expression of Ki-67 and CD34 in the differential diagnosis of ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) and DCIS-like invasive breast cancer (DLIBC). Methods: A total of 100 cases of DCIS and 150 cases of DLIBC diagnosed pathologically in Yantai Yuhuangding Hospital from January 2019 to March 2022 were collected. The expression of p63, CK5/6, Ki-67 and CD34 in both groups were detected by immunohistochemical (IHC) staining and evaluated. Results: The 100 cases of DCIS included 11 cases of low-grade DCIS, 28 cases of intermediate-grade DCIS and 61 cases of high-grade DCIS. IHC staining of p63 and CK5/6 showed the myoepithelial cells around cancerous duct were complete or partial absence. Ki-67 expression showed two patterns: high expression in the basal layers and scattered expression within the tumor. Most cases showed mainly high basal expression (77/100, 77%), and the proportion of this pattern was significantly different between low grade and high grade DCIS (P<0.05). All cases showed complete CD34 expression surrounding the cancerous duct with different proportion (vascular necklace) suggested small vessels proliferation. The 150 cases of DLIBC included 142 cases of invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC) (three cases of basal-like breast cancer was included), two cases of secretory carcinoma, three cases of solid papillary carcinoma, two cases of adenoid cystic carcinoma and one case of acinar cell carcinoma. Among 142 cases of IDC, 13 cases were grade Ⅰ, 77 were grade Ⅱ and 52 were grade Ⅲ. IHC staining of p63 showed complete absence of myoepithelium. CK5/6 was negative in most cases and only positively expressed within the tumor in 3 cases of basal-like breast cancer. Ki-67 indicated a scattered expression pattern within the tumor. In most cases, CD34 immunostaining showed scattered positive blood vessels within the tumor while only two cases showed incomplete expression of CD34 around the tumor (2/150, 1.3%). The different expression patterns of Ki-67 and CD34 in DCIS and DLIBC was statistically significant (P<0.05). Conclusions: The different expression patterns of Ki-67 and CD34 are helpful to distinguish DLIBC from DCIS. The appearance of "vascular necklace" with CD34 and the high expression of Ki-67 around the cancerous duct highly support the diagnosis of DCIS, and the scattered expression pattern of CD34 supports DLIBC.
Antigens, CD34 ; Breast Neoplasms/pathology* ; Carcinoma, Ductal, Breast/pathology* ; Carcinoma, Intraductal, Noninfiltrating/pathology* ; Cell Adhesion Molecules ; Female ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Ki-67 Antigen ; Neuroblastoma

PURPOSE: Absorbable retaining thread (ART) needle localization utilizes a guiding needle with a thread; this technique was invented to reduce patient discomfort and wire migration. We investigated the feasibility of ultrasound (US)-guided ART needle localization for nonpalpable breast lesions. METHODS: ART needle localization was performed for 26 nonpalpable breast lesions in 26 patients who were scheduled to undergo surgical excision the day after localization. Seventeen breast lesions were initially diagnosed as invasive ductal carcinoma, six as ductal carcinomas in situ, and one as fibrocystic change. The other two cases without an initial pathologic diagnosis had suspicious US features, and excision was planned concomitantly with contralateral breast cancer surgery. The primary outcome was the technical success rate of ART needle localization confirmed by US immediately after the procedure, and the secondary outcomes were the percentage of clear margins on pathology and the complication rate of ART needle localization. RESULTS: The technical success rate of ART needle localization was 96.2% (25 of 26 patients), and the ART was located 1 cm away from the mass in one patient (3.8%). The lesions were successfully removed with clear margins in all 26 patients. No significant complications related to ART needle localization were observed. CONCLUSION: ART needle localization can be an alternative to wire needle localization for nonpalpable breast lesions.
Breast Neoplasms ; Breast ; Carcinoma, Ductal ; Diagnosis ; Humans ; Needles ; Pathology ; Surgery, Computer-Assisted ; Ultrasonography

PURPOSE: To validate and update a nomogram for predicting ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) upstaging in preoperative biopsy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Medical records of 444 preoperative DCIS patients were evaluated and used to validate a previous version of the Severance nomogram for predicting DCIS upstaging in preoperative biopsy. Patients were divided into two groups according to the final postoperative pathology. Univariate and multivariate analyses with the chi-square test, Student's t-test, and binary logistic regression method identified new significant variables. The updated nomogram was evaluated with the C-index and Hosmer—Lemeshow goodness of fit test. RESULTS: The area under a receiver operating characteristic curve for comparison with the previous nomogram was 0.48. In postoperative pathology, the pure DCIS and invasive cancer groups comprised 345 and 99 cases, respectively. Approximately 22.3% of patients preoperatively diagnosed with DCIS were upstaged to invasive cancer. Significant variables in the univariate analysis were operation type, human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 overexpression, comedo necrosis, sonographic mass, mammographic mass, preoperative biopsy method, and suspicious microinvasion in preoperative biopsy. In multivariate analysis, operation type, sonographic mass, mammographic mass, and suspicious microinvasion were risk factors for upstaging. The updated model with these variables showed moderate discrimination and was appropriate in the calibration test. CONCLUSION: The previous nomogram did not effectively discriminate upstaging of preoperative DCIS in an independent cohort. An updated version of the nomogram appears to provide more accurate information for predicting preoperative DCIS upstaging.
Biopsy ; Breast Neoplasms ; Breast ; Calibration ; Carcinoma, Ductal ; Carcinoma, Intraductal, Noninfiltrating ; Cohort Studies ; Discrimination (Psychology) ; Humans ; Logistic Models ; Medical Records ; Methods ; Multivariate Analysis ; Necrosis ; Nomograms ; Pathology ; Receptor, Epidermal Growth Factor ; Risk Factors ; ROC Curve ; Ultrasonography

Squamous cell carcinoma of the breast and its subtype, basal-human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) phenotype, are very rare. Herein, we report a patient who developed recurrence of squamous cell carcinoma of the breast with basal-HER2 subtype 6 years after the initial diagnosis of invasive ductal carcinoma of the HER2 subtype. To the best of our knowledge, recurrence of invasive ductal carcinoma in the form of metaplastic squamous cell carcinoma of basal-HER2 subtype has not been reported previously. We present a pathological perspective of our experience.
Breast ; Carcinoma, Ductal ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell ; Diagnosis ; Epidermal Growth Factor ; Humans ; Pathology ; Phenotype ; Receptor, Epidermal Growth Factor ; Recurrence

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the ultrasonographic features of pure ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) of the breast and to evaluate the correlations of ultrasonographic features with pathologic and biological features. METHODS: A total of 141 lesions in 138 women with pure DCIS who underwent preoperative breast ultrasonography were retrospectively reviewed. Ultrasonographic features were analyzed using the American College of Radiology Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System (BI-RADS) ultrasonography lexicon and the diagnostic criteria of the Japan Society of Ultrasonics in Medicine. Pathologic features including the nuclear grade and presence of comedonecrosis were evaluated. Biological markers including estrogen receptor, progesterone receptor, and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) status, as well as the Ki-67 index, were recorded. Ultrasonographic features were compared with pathologic findings and biological markers using the chi-square test. P-values of < 0.05 were considered to indicate statistical significance. RESULTS: Of the 141 lesions, 75 (53.2%) were mass lesions, 56 (39.7%) were non-mass lesions, and 10 (7.1%) were not visible. The most common feature of the mass pattern was a mass with irregular shape (32.6%), an indistinct margin (27.7%), and hypoechogenicity (37.6%). Microcalcifications were observed in 48 cases (36.6%) as an associated feature. Calcifications outside of a mass were more common than calcifications within a mass. Ultrasonographic microcalcifications and ductal changes were frequently observed in non-mass lesions. Ultrasonographic non-mass lesions were associated with high-grade DCIS (P=0.004) and the presence of comedonecrosis (P=0.006). Microcalcifications were significantly associated with high-grade DCIS (P < 0.001), the presence of comedonecrosis (P < 0.001), an elevated Ki-67 (P < 0.001), and HER2 positivity (P=0.003). CONCLUSION: The most common ultrasonographic feature of pure DCIS was an irregular, hypoechoic mass with an indistinct margin. Ultrasonographic microcalcifications and ductal changes were more frequent in non-mass lesions, which were correlated with poor prognostic factors, such as a high nuclear grade, comedonecrosis, HER2 positivity, and an elevated Ki-67 index.
Biomarkers* ; Breast* ; Carcinoma, Ductal* ; Carcinoma, Intraductal, Noninfiltrating* ; Estrogens ; Female ; Humans ; Information Systems ; Japan ; Pathology ; Receptor, Epidermal Growth Factor ; Receptors, Progesterone ; Retrospective Studies ; Ultrasonics ; Ultrasonography ; Ultrasonography, Mammary