Lipid-secreting mammary carcinoma. Report of a case associated with Paget's disease of the nipple

Glycogen-rich clear cell carcinoma of the breast: a light and electron microscopic study

A glycogen-rich clear cell carcinoma arose in the breast of a 49-year-old woman. Light microscopic examination of the neoplasm revealed both intraductal papillary growth and stromal invasion. Electron microscopic examination demonstrated neoplastic cells that contained massive quantities of nonmembrane-bound particulate glycogen and that formed numerous acini. Apically, these cells formed microvilli; laterally they formed tight junctions and desmosomes. Morphologic features of this neoplasm are similar to those of the fetal breast and to some other clear cell carcinomas arising elsewhere in the body.

Histologic classification of pure primary epithelial breast cancer

Current classifications of breast cancer are based on either morphologic descriptive or histogenetic criteria. The positive features and shortcomings of the most commonly used systems are presented. Our knowledge of breast cancer leads validity to a histogenetic topographic classification, a modification of which is suggested.

Histologic variants of lipid-secreting carcinoma of the breast

Ten new cases of so-called lipid-secreting carcinomas of the breast are presented. Histopathologic analysis suggests three different microscopical patterns which are all characterized by abundant intracytoplasmic neutral fat deposits. Review of the literature yielded only 15 well-documented cases. Diagnostic problems are emphasized, with special regard to the secretory differentiation of normal and neoplastic mammary cells.

Signet-ring cell carcinoma of the breast. The mucinous variant of infiltrating lobular carcinoma?

Five cases of the type of mammary carcinoma that has been designated "signet-ring cell carcinoma" are presented. This tumor is characterized by the presence of numerous cells containing intracellular mucin, without large amounts of extracellular mucin as is seen in colloid (gelatinous, mucinous) carcinoma of the breast. Although such cells may be seen in many mammary carcinomas, they are never as frequent as in the variant described. Ultrastructurally, the most characteristic finding is the presence of numerous intracellular lumina containing material which appears to represent the mucin identified with the light microscope. This finding differs from that in colloid carcinoma, in which the scantier intracellular mucin occurs in the form of intracytoplasmic membrane-bound vesicles. The five tumors in the present series were all associated with either in situ lobular carcinoma or a "sinus catarrh"-like pattern of nodal metastases, or both. On the basis of these light and electron microscopic data, the signet-ring cell carcinoma is suggested as a variant of infiltrating lobular carcinoma, clinically and pathologically distinct from colloid carcinoma.