title: Squamous metaplasia of the breast simulating a malignant neoplasm: a case.
abstract: Squamous metaplasia of the breast ductal epithelium is a well-documented lesion; however, it represents a very uncommon histopathologic finding. We present a case of primary florid squamous metaplasia of the mammary ducts closely simulating a breast carcinoma in a 67-year-old woman. Patient after ultrasound examination and mammography, was submitted to a fine-needle aspiration biopsy (FNAB) that was considered inconclusive, and, in order to suspicious clinic and mammographic findings, a frozen evaluation during the surgical excision was performed. Primary squamous cell metaplasia is rarely observed in the breast. This condition closely mimics a malignant lesion at US-scan, X-ray evaluation and even at FNAB. Frozen examination, in this case, is considered decisive, preserving the patient from an unnecessary aggressive surgical approach.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomorphological and Functional Sciences, Pathology Section, University of Naples 'Federico II', Naples, Italy.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mascolo
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Mignogna
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: De Cecio
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bonuso
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Accurso
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D044963:Biopsy, Fine-Needle; D001940:Breast / Q000473:pathology*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*; D018270:Carcinoma, Ductal, Breast / Q000473:pathology*; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008679:Metaplasia / Q000473:pathology