title: The apocrine carcinoma of the breast. A cytological, immunohistochemical and ultrastructural study of 6 cases.
abstract: The apocrine carcinoma is a rare type of invasive breast carcinomas. Characteristic features of this neoplasm are shown by the eosinophilic granular cytoplasm with apical snouts and strong expression of GCDFP-15. A review of 2000 available primary breast carcinomas identified 6 examples (0.3%) based on the definition. Architecturally, these tumors displayed either a solid-tubular or a papillary growth pattern, while cytologically the lesions were composed of large columnar epithelial cells with marked anisonucleosis and numerous PAS-positive diastase-resistant cytoplasmic granules. Immunohistochemically, apocrine breast carcinomas showed abundant GCDFP-15, CEA an c-erbB-2 oncoprotein. Electron microscopic analysis revealed the presence of numerous secretory granules. The differential diagnostic problems of apocrine breast carcinomas and malignant tumors mimicking them are discussed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Alexandrov Hospital, Medical Faculty Sofia, Bulgaria.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Alexiev
authors.forename: Z
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Boschnakova
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Prokopanov
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001053:Apolipoproteins; D053399:Apolipoproteins D; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000032:analysis*; D001707:Biopsy, Needle; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery / Q000648:ultrastructure; D002272:Carcinoembryonic Antigen / Q000032:analysis; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000032:analysis; D002455:Cell Division; D002466:Cell Nucleolus / Q000473:pathology / Q000648:ultrastructure; D002467:Cell Nucleus / Q000473:pathology / Q000648:ultrastructure; D002843:Chromatin / Q000473:pathology / Q000648:ultrastructure; D005260:Female; D006023:Glycoproteins / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007633:Keratins / Q000032:analysis; D026901:Membrane Transport Proteins; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D008875:Middle Aged; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases / Q000032:analysis; D012189:Retrospective Studies
chemical_list: D001053:Apolipoproteins; D053399:Apolipoproteins D; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D002272:Carcinoembryonic Antigen; D002352:Carrier Proteins; D002843:Chromatin; D006023:Glycoproteins; D007633:Keratins; D026901:Membrane Transport Proteins; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases; C024328:APOD protein, human; C488892:PIP protein, human