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Solid papillary carcinoma of breast: an ultrastructural study
G R Dickersin1, H M Maluf, F C Koerner
1Department of Pathology, Harvard Medical School, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston 02114, USA.
Ultrastructural Pathology
|March 1, 1997
Summary
Solid papillary carcinoma, a breast cancer subtype in older women, shows favorable prognosis. Electron microscopy reveals varied cell granule types, including mucinous and neuroendocrine, aiding in accurate cell type determination.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Pathology
- Electron Microscopy
Background:
- Solid papillary carcinoma is a distinct subtype of breast cancer.
- It typically affects older women and generally presents with a favorable prognosis.
- This cancer is predominantly intraductal but frequently co-occurs with invasive carcinoma, particularly mucinous carcinoma.
Observation:
- The study examined four cases of solid papillary carcinoma using electron microscopy.
- Neoplastic cells lacked myoepithelial cells and displayed ultrastructural similarities to other mammary carcinomas.
- Cells exhibited varied secretory activity with diverse granule types, including mucinous, dense-core, and serous-like granules.
Findings:
- Extracellular microlumens were present, while intracellular lumens were rare.
- Dense-core granules suggested neuroendocrine differentiation, confirmed by Grimelius staining.
- The nature of serous-appearing granules remained ambiguous without further cytochemical analysis.
Implications:
- Electron microscopy, combined with histochemical and immunohistochemical studies, is crucial for accurate cell typing in solid papillary carcinoma.
- Understanding granular ultrastructure aids in differentiating tumor subtypes and assessing prognosis.
- Further research using markers like uranaffin is needed to clarify the precise nature of certain granular inclusions.