Prevalence of Ectopic Breast Tissue and Tumor: A 20-Year Single Center Experience.
Ectopic breast tissue, which includes both supernumerary breast and aberrant breast tissue, is the most common congenital breast abnormality. Ectopic breast cancers are rare neoplasms that occur in 0.3% to 0.6% of all cases of breast cancer.



We retrospectively report, using a large series of breast abnormalities diagnosed and treated, our clinical experience on the management of the ectopic breast cancer. In 2 decades, we observed 327 (2.7%) patients with ectopic breast tissue out of a total of 12,177 subjects undergoing a breast visit for lesions. All patients were classified into 8 classes, according to the classification of Kajava, and assessed by a physician examination, ultrasounds, and, when appropriate, further studies with fine needle aspiration cytology and mammography. All specimens were submitted to the anatomo-pathologist. The most frequent benign histological diagnosis was fibrocystic disease. A rare granulosa cell tumor was also found in the right anterior thoracic wall of 1 patient. Four malignancies were also diagnosed in 4 women: an infiltrating lobular cancer in 1 patient with a lesion classified as class I, and an infiltrating apocrine carcinoma, an infiltrating ductal cancer, and an infiltrating ductal cancer with tubular pattern, occurring in 3 patients with lesions classified as class IV. Only 1 recurrence was observed. We recommend an earlier surgical approach for patients with lesions from class I to IV.
Department of Human Pathology, University Hospital of Messina, Messina, Italy. Electronic address: famafausto@yahoo.it.
Fausto
F
Famá
Department of Human Pathology, University Hospital of Messina, Messina, Italy.
Marco
M
Cicciú
Department of Biomedical and Dental Sciences, Morphological and Functional Images, University Hospital of Messina, Messina, Italy.
Alessandro
A
Sindoni
Department of Human Pathology, University Hospital of Messina, Messina, Italy.
Paola
P
Scarfó
Department of Human Pathology, University Hospital of Messina, Messina, Italy.
Andrea
A
Pollicino
Department of Human Pathology, University Hospital of Messina, Messina, Italy.
Giuseppa
G
Giacobbe
Department of Human Pathology, University Hospital of Messina, Messina, Italy.
Giancarlo
G
Buccheri
Department of Human Pathology, University Hospital of Messina, Messina, Italy.
Filippo
F
Taranto
Department of Human Pathology, University Hospital of Messina, Messina, Italy.
Jessica
J
Palella
Department of Human Pathology, University Hospital of Messina, Messina, Italy.
Maria
M
Gioffré-Florio
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D044963:Biopsy, Fine-Needle; D001940:Breast / Q000002:abnormalities* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D001941:Breast Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D018567:Breast Neoplasms, Male / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D002828:Choristoma / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D005348:Fibrocystic Breast Disease / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008327:Mammography; D008875:Middle Aged; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D009558:Nipples / Q000002:abnormalities* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D015995:Prevalence; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016217:Ultrasonography, Mammary; D055815:Young Adult
Aberrant breast tissue; Ectopic breast cancer; Polymastia; Polythelia; Supernumerary breast