Apocrine DCIS

Breast malignant, males, children
In situ carcinoma
Apocrine DCIS

Author: Dina Kandil, M.D. (see Authors page)

Revised: 18 October 2016, last major update January 2012

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PubMed Search: Apocrine [title] breast

Table of Contents

Cite this page: Apocrine DCIS. PathologyOutlines.com website. http://www.pathologyoutlines.com/topic/breastmalignantapocrineDCIS.html. Accessed July 14th, 2017.

Definition / general

DCIS with cells containing abundant eosinophilic cytoplasm, vesicular nuclei and prominent nucleoli
Uncommon variant; clinical behavior similar to classic DCIS

Microscopic (histologic) description

Growth pattern may be solid, cribriform or micropapillary
Tumor grade is based on nuclear features and presence of comedo-type necrosis (Hum Pathol 2001;32:487)
Nuclei are graded 1 - 3 based on nuclear size, pleomorphism and nucleoli
Nuclear size (compared to benign apocrine cells) is either small (1 - 2x), intermediate (3 - 4x) or large (5x or larger)
Grade 1 nuclei: low pleomorphism, small / intermediate size, usually single prominent nucleolus
Grade 2 nuclei: moderate pleomorphism, small/intermediate size, multiple nucleoli; may have occasional large nuclei or multinucleated cells
Grade 3 nuclei: intermediate / large size, marked pleomorphism, coarse chromatin, irregular nuclear contour, frequently multiple nucleoli
Necrosis: punctuate or comedo necrosis
Low grade: nuclear grade 1 or 2 without necrosis
High grade: tumors with grade 3 nuclei and necrosis; similar to high grade nonapocrine DCIS, but with cytoplasmic apocrine features and 10%+ nuclei with single large nucleolus and vesicular chromatin
Intermediate grade: cases not classified as low or high histologic grade