Adenocarcinoma of anogenital mammary gland type arising from encapsulated papillary carcinoma: A rare vulvar tumor mimicking breast carcinoma

Abstract

Anogenital mammary‐like glands are normal structures of the anogenital region. Tumors originating from these glands often exhibit a striking resemblance to their mammary gland counterparts. Herein, we present a rare case of adenocarcinoma of mammary gland type in the vulva of a 69‐year‐old female. Histopathologic examination revealed a complex lesion, which included a large encapsulated papillary carcinoma (EPC) with associated invasive carcinoma of mammary gland type and ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS). The invasive component consisted mostly of invasive ductal carcinoma of no special type, with a notable focus of invasive mucinous carcinoma. p40 immunostain demonstrated a lack of myoepithelial cells in both the EPC and invasive carcinoma, but such cells expressed p40 around the ducts involved by DCIS. The main component of this lesion, EPC, was characterized by a papillary proliferation within a cystic space surrounded by a fibrous capsule without a myoepithelial layer. The histopathologic features of anogenital EPC closely resemble cutaneous hidradenoma papilliferum. Indeed, there have been a few reports in the literature describing cases where in situ and invasive carcinoma arose from a preexisting hidradenoma papilliferum. As tumors of anogenital mammary‐like glands bear a closer resemblance to breast lesions than to skin tumors, we recommend that they be aligned with the classification of well‐established breast lesions rather than cutaneous adnexal tumors.