Related Experiment Video
Updated: Apr 4, 2026
09:32
Differentiation of Mouse Breast Epithelial HC11 and EpH4 Cells
Published on: February 27, 2020
9.7K
Metaplastic breast cancer with chondroid differentiation
Zin W Myint1, Sandeep Raparla2, Lois K Kamugisha2
1Department of Medicine, Medstar Good Samaritan Hospital, Baltimore, MD, USA; zinnfang@gmail.com.
Journal of Community Hospital Internal Medicine Perspectives
|September 4, 2015
Summary
Metaplastic breast cancer, a rare subtype, presents unique challenges. This case highlights chondroid differentiation in an infiltrating ductal carcinoma, emphasizing the need for targeted treatments due to inferior outcomes with standard chemotherapy.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Pathology
- Radiology
Background:
- Metaplastic carcinoma of the breast is an exceptionally rare breast cancer subtype (<1% incidence).
- Metaplastic carcinoma with chondroid differentiation represents the rarest histologic subtype.
- This report details a case of infiltrating ductal carcinoma exhibiting metaplastic chondroid differentiation.
Observation:
- A 58-year-old woman presented with a palpable right breast lump.
- Mammography and ultrasound revealed distinct masses, with biopsy confirming poorly differentiated invasive carcinoma.
- Histopathology identified infiltrating ductal carcinoma with metaplastic chondroid features, ER/PR/HER2 negative, Ki-67 52%, Elston grade 3.
Findings:
- The patient received adjuvant AC-T chemotherapy (adriamycin, cytoxan, taxol).
- Current surveillance for recurrent disease is ongoing.
- Metaplastic breast cancer demonstrates significantly inferior outcomes compared to other breast cancer subtypes.
Implications:
- Localized metaplastic breast cancer management involves wide excision or mastectomy with sentinel lymph node biopsy, potentially followed by radiation.
- Standard chemotherapy regimens like AC-T show limited efficacy in metaplastic breast cancer.
- Further research into targeted therapies is crucial for improving outcomes in this rare breast cancer population.
