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Table of Contents
Definition / general | Clinical features | Prognostic factors | Case reports | Microscopic (histologic) description | Microscopic (histologic) images | Cytology description | Positive stains | Electron microscopy description | Differential diagnosis | Additional referencesCite this page: Cribriform carcinoma - invasive. PathologyOutlines.com website. http://www.pathologyoutlines.com/topic/breastmalignantcribriform.html. Accessed July 14th, 2017.
Definition / general
- Invasive tumor with cribriform pattern similar to cribriform DCIS
- May have minor (< 50%) component of tubular carcinoma
Clinical features
- Rare (1% - 3% of breast carcinomas), related to tubular carcinoma (Histopathology 1983;7:525)
- Nodal metastases in 14%
- Mixed patterns have intermediate prognosis between invasive cribriform and invasive ductal carcinomas
Prognostic factors
- Excellent prognosis, even with nodal metastases, if restrict diagnosis to pure pattern (Histopathology 1983;7:525, Eur J Gynaecol Oncol 1996;17:228)
Case reports
- 64 year old man with tumor microcalcifications (Breast Cancer 2005;12:145)
- Perineural invasion (Hum Pathol 1992;23:202)
- Internal mammary node metastasis (Tumori 2006;92:241)
Microscopic (histologic) description
- Low grade, cribriform appearance (well defined spaces formed by arches of cells) similar to cribriform DCIS but with larger cells, more cytoplasm and more vesicular nuclei
- Tumor cells are small, often have apical snouts, mild / moderate nuclear pleomorphism
- Also stromal invasion by islands of cells, often angulated
- May have predominantly solid appearance
- Associated with cribriform DCIS
- Often mixed with tubular carcinoma
- No / rare mitotic figures, no mucin production
- Note: pure pattern is defined as 90%+ cribriform; also considered "classic" even if minor component of tubular carcinoma
Microscopic (histologic) images
Images hosted on PathOut server:
Images hosted on other servers:
Extensive secondary lumen
formation with angular
clusters of tumor cells
Images hosted on other servers:
Various images
Perineural invasion
Luminal micro-
calcifications
Low grade nuclei
Cytology description
- Cohesive sheets and three dimensional cribriform clusters of bland ductal cells in a bloodstained background
- Variable osteoclast-like giant cells (Acta Cytol 2001;45:593, Acta Cytol 1992;36:48)
Electron microscopy description
- Numerous mitochondria
- Luminal surfaces have abundant microvilli (Ultrastruct Pathol 1994;18:519)
Differential diagnosis
- Adenoid cystic carcinoma: second cell population, intracystic basement membrane material and secretory material
- Carcinoid tumor: intracytoplasmic granules, positive for neuroendocrine markers
- Collagenous spherulosis: intense eosinophilic secretions, circumscribed, not invasive (Am J Surg Pathol 1995;19:1366)
- Cribriform DCIS: non infiltrative, clusters are more regularly distributed, myoepithelial layer is present
Additional references
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