HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Tang, P. Articles by Filardi, D. A. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Tang, P. Articles by Filardi, D. A.

Incidental Finding of Mammary Carcinoma in Lumpectomy Specimens

Address correspondence to Steven I. Hajdu, M.D., Department of Pathology, North Shore University Hospital, 300 Community Drive, Manhasset, NY 11030, USA; tel 516 562 4189; fax 516 562 4591.

More and more breast lumpectomies are being performed due to mammographic screening, and both in situ and invasive breast carcinomas are being detected earlier and smaller in size. The objective of this study was to determine the presence of incidental microscopic breast carcinoma in mammography-guided lumpectomy specimens. A prospective study was carried out by processing in surgical pathology approximately 9,000 breast lumpectomy specimens during a 2.5-yr period so that the entire specimens were embedded for microscopic examination. Excluded from the study were cases with grossly or microscopically identified carcinomas greater than 10 mm², and non-invasive carcinomas diagnosed in association with invasive carcinoma. Cases with multifocal carcinomas, prior diagnosis of breast cancer, or prior history of breast biopsy were also excluded. Carcinomas present in the same tissue blocks as the clinically suspected lesions such as palpable nodules, microcalcification, or other mammographic abnormalities were excluded as well. Fifty cases of incidental microscopic mammary carcinoma were found including 8 infiltrating ductal carcinomas (IDC), 2 infiltrating lobular carcinomas (ILC), 21 intraductal carcinomas (DCIS), and 19 lobular carcinomas in situ (LCIS). All of the lesions were solitary, located in indistinct loosely arranged fibrous and adipose stromal tissues, and the majority of them were near or at the inked excisional margins. Physicians who care for patients with breast cancer should be aware of the existence of these minute breast carcinomas that are often near or at the surgical margins. The significance of these microscopic findings for therapeutic strategy and prognosis should be determined by long-term follow-up.

Keywords: Microscopic breast carcinoma, ductal carcinoma in situ, lobular carcinoma in situ