Breast pathologyBeginnerAnnotated

Invasive ductal carcinoma of breast, grade 2

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Clinical history

52-year-old woman with a 22 mm screen-detected mass in the upper outer quadrant of the left breast. Core biopsy performed.

Specimen

Ultrasound-guided core biopsy, 3 cores · Stain: H&E

Microscopic description

Infiltrating cords and tubules of atypical epithelial cells within a desmoplastic stroma. Moderate nuclear pleomorphism. Mitotic activity moderate. No definite lymphovascular invasion in this sample.

Diagnostic question

What is the most likely diagnosis and what ancillary studies would you request?

Reveal differential diagnosis
  • Invasive lobular carcinoma
  • Sclerosing adenosis
  • Radial scar with entrapped glands
Reveal final diagnosis

Invasive carcinoma of no special type, NHG grade 2

Learning points

  • Assess tubule formation, nuclear pleomorphism and mitotic count for grading
  • Request ER, PR, HER2 and Ki-67 on the biopsy
  • Look carefully for lymphovascular invasion at the periphery

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