Coexistence of lactating adenoma and invasive ductal adenocarcinoma of the breast in a pregnant woman

MRI of the Lactating Breast

The breasts undergo marked physiologic changes during lactation that can make conventional imaging evaluation with mammography and US challenging. MRI can be a valuable diagnostic aid to differentiate physiologic and benign processes from malignancy in patients who are lactating. In addition, MRI may allow more accurate delineation of disease involvement than does conventional imaging and assists in locoregional staging, screening of the contralateral breast, assessment of response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy, and surgical planning. Although the American College of Radiology recommends against patients undergoing contrast-enhanced MRI during pregnancy because of fetal safety concerns, contrast-enhanced MRI is safe during lactation. As more women delay childbearing, the incidence of pregnancy-associated breast cancer (PABC) and breast cancer in lactating women beyond the 1st year after pregnancy is increasing. Thus, MRI is increasingly being performed in lactating women for diagnostic evaluation and screening of patients at high risk. PABC is associated with a worse prognosis than that of non-PABCs, with delays in diagnosis contributing to an increased likelihood of advanced-stage disease at diagnosis. Familiarity with the MRI features of the lactating breast and the appearance of various pathologic conditions is essential to avoid diagnostic pitfalls and prevent delays in cancer diagnosis and treatment. The authors review clinical indications for breast MRI during lactation, describe characteristic features of the lactating breast at MRI, and compare MRI features of a spectrum of benign and malignant breast abnormalities. ©RSNA, 2024 Test Your Knowledge questions for this article are available in the supplemental material. See the invited commentary by Chikarmane in this issue.

Infiltrating duct cell carcinoma in lactating adenoma: A rare case in pair

Lactating adenomas, though considered being benign, sometimes turn out to be malignant. We are hereby presenting two cases of lactating adenomas which turned out to be harboring infiltrating duct cell carcinoma (DCC). Two lactating women with mass in the breast were referred from surgery for fine-needle aspiration cytology and biopsy. On histopathology, it was found that both had infiltrating DCC (either as collision tumor or as a malignant transformation of lactating adenoma). These cases point toward some association between lactating adenoma and DCC, however, small it may be. Therefore, any mass lesion in the breast should be followed up under strict vigilance for an early diagnosis and management of this deadly disease. A large sample size and elaborate study are required to frame its prognostic relevance. Like estrogen receptor and progesterone receptor, prolactin and prolactin receptor expression can be exploited for developing newer receptor-targeted therapy.

MRI Evaluation of the Lactating Breast

Purpose of Review

To review the MRI appearance of physiologic lactational changes, common benign pathologies, and malignancies in the lactating breast.

Recent Findings

The prevalence of pregnancy-associated breast cancer has increased as more women delay childbirth and lactation. There is a transient increase in breast cancer risk after delivery when women may be lactating. MRI is more sensitive than mammography and ultrasound for the evaluation of the extent of disease in lactating women.

Summary

Understanding the key MRI findings of benign and malignant pathologies in the lactating breast is critical for accurate diagnosis and prompt evaluation of pregnancy-associated breast cancer.

Bilateral complex lactating adenosis: Clinical presentation and management in Sudan

Lactating adenosis is a benign breast neoplasm usually seen during pregnancy and lactation. We present a rare case of bilateral complex benign lactating adenosis in 19-year-old female patient presented with lactating adenosis that mimics cancer growth after giving birth. Histopathology confirmed diagnosis. Simple mastectomy was the treatment of choice.

Aggressive lactating adenoma mimicking breast carcinoma: A case report

INTRODUCTION

Lactating adenoma is a rare breast tumor which is commonly found in late pregnancy or lactation period. Despite its benign nature, lactating adenoma might develop aggressively and can be misdiagnosed as breast cancer.

CASE PRESENTATION

We report a case of a 25-year-old female presenting with two large, ulcerative and bleeding breast masses. An open biopsy demonstrating lactating adenoma was considered discordant and surgery was performed to confirm the diagnosis.

CONCLUSION

Careful clinical and histological evaluations are necessary to diagnose and manage lactating adenoma.

Large painful lactating adenomas effectively treated during pregnancy with bromocriptine

Lactating adenomas are painful, benign breast lesions, typically presenting during pregnancy and treated with surgery. Here we present a case of a 25-year-old pregnant woman who developed multiple, bilateral lactating adenomas and was successfully treated during her third trimester with bromocriptine alone. Bromocriptine, a dopamine agonist, may be used in pregnancy to effectively treat lactating adenomas in lieu of surgery.

Huge lactating adenoma of the breast: Case report

INTRODUCTION

Lactating adenoma is the commonest benign breast lesion seen during pregnancy and puerperium. It is commonly seen in young primigravideous women in the second or third decade during the third trimester of their pregnancy. Occasionally, lactating adenoma is large and rapidly growing and must be differentiated from malignant breast masses that could be seen during pregnancy and lactation. The diagnosis is usually established by cytological and histopathological examination.

CASE PRESENTATION

Here we have presented a rare case with huge lactating adenoma arising in the left breast of 38 years old Egyptian multiparous lady during lactation. Enucleation of the mass was done with good aesthetic outcome.

CONCLUSION

The case we have presented was unique in its huge size and in being diagnosed in a multiparous lady and furthermore it was successfully treated by enucleation without any need for reconstruction.

Ultrasound findings of the physiological changes and most common breast diseases during pregnancy and lactation

Because of the physiological changes that occur during pregnancy and lactation, diagnostic ultrasound of the breast during these periods is a challenge for physicians. Therefore, a comprehensive understanding of imaging, anatomy, and physiology of the breast is important to effectively diagnosing diseases that can arise in women who are pregnancy or lactating. The aim of this article was to review the physiological changes that occur in the breasts during pregnancy and lactation, as well as to describe the main features of the breast diseases that occur most frequently during these periods.

Lactating Adenoma of the Breast

Lactating adenoma is an uncommon breast palpable lesion occurring in pregnancy or lactation. Although it is a benign condition, it often requires core biopsy or even surgery to exclude malignancy. As with other solid lesions in pregnancy and lactation, lactating adenoma needs an accurate evaluation in order to ensure its benign nature. Work-up must include both imaging and histologic findings. Ultrasound evaluation remains the first step in assessing the features of the lesion. Some authors consider magnetic resonance imaging as a useful tool in cases of inconclusive evaluation after ultrasound and histologic exam in an attempt to avoid surgery. Most lactating adenomas resolve spontaneously, whereas others persist or even increase in size and must be removed. The authors present a case of a 35-year-old woman at 6 months postpartum with a lactating adenoma in her right breast. After surgical removal, breastfeeding was perfectly continued within the next 24 hours, which highlights the fact that breast surgery is most often compatible with breastfeeding.

Dietary leucine supplementation minimises tumour-induced damage in placental tissues of pregnant, tumour-bearing rats

Background

The occurrence of cancer during pregnancy merges two complex, poorly understood metabolic and hormonal conditions. This association can exacerbate the conditions of both the mother and the foetus. The branched-chain amino acid leucine enhances cellular activity, particularly by increasing protein synthesis. This study aimed to analyse the modulatory effect of a leucine-rich diet on direct and indirect tumour-induced placental damage. This was accomplished by evaluating the expression of genes involved in protein synthesis and degradation and assessing anti-oxidant enzyme activity in placental tissues collected from pregnant, tumour-bearing rats.

Results

Pregnant rats were either implanted with Walker 256 tumour cells or injected with ascitic fluid (to study the indirect effects of tumour growth) and then fed a leucine-rich diet. Animals in a control group underwent the same procedures but were fed a normal diet. On the 20^th day of pregnancy, tumour growth was observed. Dams fed a normoprotein diet showed the greatest tumour growth. Injection with ascitic fluid mimicked the effects of tumour growth. Decreased placental protein synthesis and increased protein degradation were observed in both the tumour-bearing and the ascitic fluid-injected groups that were fed a normoprotein diet. These effects resulted in low placental DNA and protein content and high lipid peroxidation (measured by malondialdehyde content). Decreased placental protein synthesis-related gene expression was observed in the tumour group concomitant with increased expression of genes encoding protein degradation-associated proteins and proteolytic subunits.

Conclusions

Consumption of a leucine-rich diet counteracted the effects produced by tumour growth and injection with ascitic fluid. The diet enhanced cell signalling, ameliorated deficiencies in DNA and protein content, and balanced protein synthesis and degradation processes in the placenta. The improvements in cell signalling included changes in the mTOR/eIF pathway. In conclusion, consumption of a leucine-rich diet improved placental metabolism and cell signalling in tumour-bearing rats, and these changes reduced the deleterious effects caused by tumour growth.

Concurrent Lactating Adenoma and Infiltrating Ductal Carcinoma: A Case Report

A lactating adenoma is a benign tumour which usually occurs in younger women who are either pregnant or breast feeding. In some instances these lactating adenomas can occur simultaneously with breast carcinoma, so they have to be carefully evaluated. We report an unusual case of simultaneous occurrence of a lactating adenoma and infiltrating ductal carcinoma occurring in a 25-year-old lactating mother.

Fine needle aspiration of breast masses in pregnant and lactating women: experience with 28 cases emphasizing Thinprep findings

BACKGROUND

Fine needle aspiration (FNA) of breast masses in pregnant or lactating women is an uncommon procedure, and cytological interpretation is considered problematic due to atypia inherent to secretory change in glandular epithelia. Previous descriptions of "lactating adenoma" (LAd), the most common tumor in this population, have been on direct smears (DS), while ThinPrep (TP, Hologic, Boxborough, MA) findings therein remain largely uncharacterized.

METHODS

FNA cases from breast masses in pregnant or lactating women (2005-2012), processed as TP and/or DS were retrospectively reviewed.

RESULTS

28 cases from as many patients (mean age 36 years), at 23 weeks of pregnancy to 10 months postpartum, were reviewed. Size of mass ranged from 1.0 to 4.5 cm. Corresponding histopathology was available in 21/28 cases. TP was available in 24/28 cases. Relative to DS, in TP, LAd showed "lacy" fragments, tissue paper-like texture, and globular clumps of "milky" background material, with embedded singly dispersed "bare" epithelial cell nuclei containing cherry-red macronucleoli. Architecture appeared disrupted in TP with isolated cells, smaller cell clusters, and lobules in LAd. Cellular morphology was better preserved in TP. Cytological features of carcinoma on TP were similar to DS. There were no false-positive cases. In this series, LAd was the most common diagnosis for breast masses in pregnant and lactating women (78.5%) and demonstrated background, architectural, and cellular alterations on TP.

CONCLUSION

In this setting, malignancy is an important consideration (encountered in 3/28, 11% of cases, including one false-negative angiosarcoma case).

Molecular testing guidelines for lung adenocarcinoma: Utility of cell blocks and concordance between fine-needle aspiration cytology and histology samples

BACKGROUND

Lung cancer is a leading cause of mortality, and patients often present at a late stage. More recently, advances in screening, diagnosing, and treating lung cancer have been made. For instance, greater numbers of minimally invasive procedures are being performed, and identification of lung adenocarcinoma driver mutations has led to the implementation of targeted therapies. Advances in molecular techniques enable use of scant tissue, including cytology specimens. In addition, per recently published consensus guidelines, cytology-derived cell blocks (CBs) are preferred over direct smears. Yet, limited comparison of molecular testing of fine-needle aspiration (FNA) CBs and corresponding histology specimens has been performed. This study aimed to establish concordance of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and Kirsten rat sarcoma (KRAS) virus homolog testing between FNA CBs and histology samples from the same patients.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Patients for whom molecular testing for EGFR or KRAS was performed on both FNA CBs and histology samples containing lung adenocarcinoma were identified retrospectively. Following microdissection, when necessary, concordance of EGFR and KRAS molecular testing results between FNA CBs and histology samples was evaluated.

RESULTS

EGFR and/or KRAS testing was performed on samples obtained from 26 patients. Concordant results were obtained for all EGFR (22/22) and KRAS (17/17) mutation analyses performed.

CONCLUSIONS

Identification of mutations in lung adenocarcinomas affects clinical decision-making, and it is important that results from small samples be accurate. This study demonstrates that molecular testing on cytology CBs is as sensitive and specific as that on histology.

Breast disease in the pregnant and lactating patient: radiological-pathological correlation

OBJECTIVE

Substantial physiological changes occur during pregnancy and lactation, making breast evaluation challenging in these patients. This article reviews the imaging challenges of the breast during pregnancy and lactation. The normal imaging appearance, imaging protocols and the imaging features of each commonly encountered benign and malignant entity with pathological correlation and supporting examples is described. An awareness of the imaging features of the breast during these physiological states and of various benign and malignant diseases that occur permits optimal management.

CONCLUSIONS

Evaluation of the pregnant and lactating patients who present with a breast problem is challenging. Although ultrasound may characterise the finding in many cases, mammography and even MRI may have a role in the management of these patients.

TEACHING POINTS

• To review physiological changes of the breast during pregnancy and lactation • To review imaging protocols of the breast during pregnancy and lactation • Discuss imaging findings with pathological correlation of benign and malignant diseases in pregnancy and lactation • Discuss pathological correlation of imaging findings in pregnancy and lactation.

Breast diseases during pregnancy and lactation

Breast is a typical female sexual physiologic organ that is influenced by steroid hormone from menarche until menopause. Therefore various diseases can be developed by continuous action of estrogen and progesterone. Breast diseases are mainly categorized as benign and malignant. It is very important to distinguish the malignancy from breast diseases. However, it is very difficult to diagnose malignancy in pregnant and lactating women even though the same breast diseases took place. Therefore, we will review breast diseases such as breast carcinoma during pregnancy and lactation.

Pregnancy-associated breast cancer: significance of early detection

Pregnancy-associated breast cancer (PABC) is defined as cancer of the breast diagnosed during pregnancy and up to 1 year postpartum. Delays in diagnosis are frequently associated with increased morbidity and mortality. The aim of this article is to determine the significance of early detection of PABC and to alert health care providers to include PABC in the differential diagnosis when evaluating a breast mass in the perinatal period. This integrative literature review evaluated 15 research studies by using the hypothetical deductive model of clinical reasoning to determine factors related to diagnosis of PABC. As women delay childbearing, the incidence of PABC increases with age. In the reviewed studies, breast cancer was diagnosed with greater frequency in the postpartum period than during any trimester in pregnancy. Delay in diagnosis is complicated by axillary lymph node metastasis, high-grade tumors at diagnosis, and poor outcomes. Early detection is a significant predictor of improved outcomes. Diagnostic modalities such as ultrasound, mammography, and biopsy can be safely used for diagnostic purposes in the evaluation of potential cases of PABC during pregnancy.

Early onset lactating adenoma and the role of breast MRI: a case report

Introduction

Lactating adenoma is a benign condition, representing the most prevalent breast lesion in pregnant women and during puerperium; in this paper, a case of a woman with lactating adenoma occurring during the first trimester of pregnancy is reported. There have been no reports in the literature, according to our search, focusing on magnetic resonance imaging findings in cases of lactating adenomas. Also the early onset of the lesion during the first trimester of pregnancy is quite unusual and possibly unique.

Case presentation

We report the case of a primiparous 30-year-old Caucasian woman, who noted an asymptomatic lump within her left breast during the 9^th week of gestation, slightly increasing in size over the next few weeks. Ultrasound demonstrated a hypoecoic solid mass, hypervascularized and measuring 4 cm. On magnetic resonance imaging, performed in the first month after delivery, the lesion appeared as an ovoidal homogeneous mass, with regular margins and a significant contrast enhancement indicative of a giant adenoma.

Conclusion

Magnetic resonance imaging could play an important role in the differential diagnosis of pregnancy-related breast lumps, particularly during puerperium, thus avoiding unnecessary surgical biopsies.