title: Invasive Pleomorphic Lobular Carcinoma of the Breast: Pathologic, Clinical, and Therapeutic Considerations.
abstract: Pleomorphic lobular carcinoma is an uncommon form of breast cancer and a subtype of invasive lobular carcinoma. It has unique histopathologic features that translate to a more aggressive phenotype with an associated poor prognosis. Unlike classical invasive lobular carcinoma, it can lose estrogen and progesterone receptor expression and demonstrate HER-2/neu amplification. It remains to be determined, however, whether the pleomorphic histology independently predicts a worse outcome or whether other known associated negative prognostic factors such as larger tumor size, increased metastatic disease, and associated worse molecular subtypes commonly present in pleomorphic carcinoma account for the poor prognosis. Here we present an updated review of the unique pathologic and clinical features of pleomorphic lobular carcinoma needed to guide management for women with this subtype of cancer.
authors.affiliation: Division of Medical Oncology, Ottawa Hospital Cancer Center, Ottawa, ON, Canada.
authors.forename: Khalid
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Al-Baimani
authors.affiliation: Division of General Surgery, Ottawa Hospital, Ottawa, ON, Canada.
authors.forename: Amy
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bazzarelli
authors.affiliation: Division of Medical Oncology, Ottawa Hospital Cancer Center, Ottawa, ON, Canada; Division of Cancer Therapeutics, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, ON, Canada.
authors.forename: Mark
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Clemons
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomical Pathology, Ottawa Hospital, Ottawa, ON, Canada.
authors.forename: Susan J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Robertson
authors.affiliation: Division of Cancer Therapeutics, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, ON, Canada.
authors.forename: Christina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Addison
authors.affiliation: Division of General Surgery, Ottawa Hospital, Ottawa, ON, Canada; Division of Cancer Therapeutics, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, ON, Canada. Electronic address: anarnaout@toh.on.ca.
authors.forename: Angel
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Arnaout
mesh_terms: D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology* / Q000628:therapy; D018275:Carcinoma, Lobular / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology* / Q000628:therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans
keywords: Breast cancer; Diagnosis; Histopathology; Invasive lobular cancer; Management; Pathogenesis; Pleomorphic