Encapsulated apocrine papillary carcinoma of the breast: Case report with clinicopathologic and immunohistochemical study

Abstract

We describe a case of encapsulated papillary carcinoma (EPC), apocrine variant in a 50-year-old woman. The patient presented a cystic lesion in her right breast, measuring 8 cm in diameter, containing three solid papillary nodules. A fine-needle aspiration showed isolated apocrine cells containing round nuclei, irregular nuclear membranes, fine chromatin, and prominent macronucleoli. The lesion was excised and showed a pure papillary apocrine carcinoma, which stained diffusely with GCDFP-15 and androgen receptors. The lesion was totally devoid of myoepithelial cells (smooth muscle actyn, p63, calponin, and collagen IV stains were negative). With MIB1 the proliferative activity was 10%. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of EPC apocrine variant with cytologic and immunohistochemical study. This lesion must be included in the list of apocrine lesions of the breast.

A case of intracystic apocrine papillary tumor: Diagnostic pitfalls for malignancy

“…Laforga et al [3] reported a case with an apocrine type of EPC, and described that their case showed features fitting with low-grade carcinoma according to the criteria of O'Malley and Bane [6], such as cell size, atypical nuclei with macronucleoli, architecture showing papillary and cribriform patterns of growth, and so on.…”

Electron Microscopy of Encapsulated and Solid Papillary Carcinomas, Is This an In-Situ or an Invasive Entity?

“…We think that encapsulated and solid papillary carcinomas, which lack myoepithelial cells, do not represent in situ carcinomas; however, they do not fall into the category of frank invasive carcinomas either. We think that encapsulated and solid papillary carcinomas represent an intermediate link between DCIS and frank invasive ductal carcinoma and certainly should not be over treated [7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18].…”

A rare case of apocrine carcinoma of the breast: Cytopathological and immunohistopathological study

“…Apocrine changes of lesions of the breast can be seen in a spectrum from microscopic cysts to invasive carcinomas. [25] Preoperatively, apocrine carcinoma needs to be distinguished from benign apocrine lesions and granular cell tumor. [6] FNAC smears in benign apocrine lesions, such as atypical apocrine adenosis, apocrine adenoma, granular apocrine metaplasia and degenerative cysts are of low cellularity and are composed of cells arranged in flat more regular sheets.…”