Adenoid cystic carcinoma of the breast
Adenoid cystic carcinoma (ACC) of the breast is a rare subtype of breast cancer.
On this page:
Epidemiology
They account for only 0.1-0.4% of all breast cancers.
Pathology
The tumor demonstrates a strikingly characteristic microscopic pattern similar to that of adenoid cystic carcinoma of the salivary glands. They consist of a mixture of proliferative glandular tissue (an adenoid component) and stromal or basement membrane elements (a pseudoglandular or cylindromatous component). Adenoid cystic carcinoma of the breast displays slowly progressive growth and rarely metastasises to the axillary lymph nodes. On pathologic analysis, it is characterized by the presence of mucin within the pseudocysts found in the tumor.
Radiographic features
Mammography
Typically tends to appear as developing asymmetric densities or irregular masses.
Breast ultrasound
Can appear as irregular, heterogeneous, or hypoechoic masses with minimal vascularity on color Doppler imaging.
Breast MRI
There is a paucity of data available on the MR imaging features of adenoid cystic carcinoma of the breast. Described features include moderately hyperintense signal on T2-weighted TSE images, a characteristic that may be attributed to the myxoid stroma and cribriform pattern of the tumor 7.
Treatment and prognosis
The overall prognosis is comparatively better than the usually unspecified breast cancers. Nodal metastases are rare.
History and etymology
It was first described by F W Foote and F W Stewart in 1946 5.
Related Radiopaedia articles
Breast imaging and pathology
- breast screening
-
mammography
- breast imaging and the technologist
- forbidden (check) areas in mammography
-
mammography views
- craniocaudal view
- mediolateral oblique view
- additional (supplementary) views
- true lateral view
- lateromedial oblique view
- late mediolateral view
- step oblique views
- spot view
- double spot compression view
- magnification view
- exaggerated craniocaudal (axillary) view
- cleavage view
- tangential views
- caudocranial view
- bullseye CC view
- rolled CC view
- elevated craniocaudal projection
- caudal cranial projection
- 20° oblique projection
- inferomedial superolateral oblique projection
- Eklund technique
- normal breast imaging examples
- digital breast tomosynthesis
- breast ultrasound
- breast ductography
- breast MRI
- breast morphology
- breast pathology
- malignant lesions
-
breast cancer
- breast adenocacrinoma
- ductal breast carcinoma
- ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS)
- invasive ductal carcinoma
- lobular breast carcinoma
- ductal breast carcinoma
- adenoid cystic carcinoma of the breast
- apocrine carcinoma of the breast
- breast cancer metastases
- breast lymphoma
- breast sarcoma
- inflammatory carcinoma of breast
- intracystic breast cancer
- male breast cancer
- malignant phyllodes tumor
- metastases to the breast
- metaplastic carcinoma the breast
- gamuts
- breast adenocacrinoma
-
breast cancer
- borderline breast disease / high risk breast lesion
- benign lesions
- adenosis of the breast
- benign papillary lesions of the breast
- breast cyst
- breast hematoma
- breast hamartoma
- breast lipoma
- ductal adenoma of the breast
- epidermal inclusion cysts of the breast
- fat necrosis of the breast
- fibroadenoma
- granular cell tumor of the breast
- gynaecomastia
- lymphocytic mastitis
- mammary fibromatosis
- oil cyst
- phyllodes tumor
- post-surgical breast scar
- post-traumatic fibrosis
- pseudoangiomatous stromal hyperplasia (PASH)
- pseudogynaecomastia
- tubular adenoma
-
breast calcifications (approach)
- morphology
- distribution
- location
- lobular calcification within breast tissue
- intraductal calcification within breast tissue
- milk of calcium within a breast cyst
- vascular calcification in breast tissue
- skin (dermal) calcification in / around breast tissue
- suture calcification within breast tissue
- stromal calcification within breast tissue
- artifactual calcification from outside the breast
- suspicious breast calcifications
- infection/inflammation
- vascular lesions
- systemic disease
- gamuts
- classification systems
- malignant lesions
- breast cancer staging