Breast adenocarcinoma with spindle cell metaplasia

Breast adenocarcinoma with spindle cell metaplasia is essentially an invasive adenocarcinoma of the breast but with abundant spindle cell transformation. These spindle cells are glandular in origin and not squamous or mesenchymal. A breast cancer tumor might be diagnosed as adenocarcinoma with spindle cell metaplasia if most of the tumor are composed of spindle cells.

I just want to let you know that I have created a couple newer versions of this page with more up-to-date material on Adenocarcinoma and Spindle Cell Metaplasias of the Breast. However, even though this page is getting a little out-to-date, I still recommend using it. It has great information.

Breast adenocarcinoma with spindle cell metaplasia is a subtype of epithelial metaplastic breast carcinoma. Metaplastic breast carcinomas are rare primary breast malignancies which are characterized by the co-existence of carcinoma (epithelial) with non-epithelial cellular elements.

They are often sub-classified as biphasic carcinosarcoma, monophasic spindle cell (sarcomatoid) carcinoma, adenocarcinoma with stromal differentiation (osseous, chondroid and rarely rhabdoid), and also as adenosquamous and pure squamous cell carcinoma.

Tumors are often positive for epidermal growth factor

Cytologically, a breast adenocarcinoma with spindle cell metaplasia will tend to be composed of tubules of adenocarcinoma mixed up with neoplastic spindle cells. The spindle cells will typically be immunoreactive for epithelial markers, including CK7, but not with some other common CK markers and not with markers of squamous or myoepithelial differentiation.

The spindle cells will usually contain intracytoplasmic lumens, which confirms an essentially glandular population of cells. A breast adenocarcinoma with spindle cell metaplasia will also tend to test positive for EPGR or epidermal growth factors.

A breast adenocarcinoma with spindle cell metaplasia will occur more commonly in postmenopausal women, and usually does present as a discrete mass. The clinical presentation of breast adenocarcinoma with spindle cell metaplasia will be similar to that of infiltrating duct carcinoma, but microcalcifications are uncommon on mammography.

Usually treated with surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy

Treatment of breast Adenocarcinoma with spindle cell metaplasia usually involves local excision or mastectomy, and chemical and radiation therapy are commonly used as adjuvant therapies.

---

For further reading, I suggest you visit this page on spindle cell carcinoma, as well as this page for adenocarcinoma of the breast.
Below are a few common Q&A regarding this topics:

• What are the treatments for invasive adenocarcinoma of the breast? Breast cancer surgery, chemotherapy, or radiation treatment.
• What are the two main types of adenocarcinoma? Ductal carcinomas and lobular carcinomas are the two most common types.
• Where does adenocarcinoma start? It starts in the ducts or lobules of the breast.
• Spindle cell carcinoma treatment – Surgical removal, cryotherapy, radiotherapy, hormone therapy, and chemotherapy. These treatments are chosen independently depending on the location and the size of the tumor. They may also be combined together for better results.
• What causes spindle cell carcinoma? Injury and inflammation in patients that are already thought to be predisposed to such tumors.
• Spindle cell carcinoma symptoms – Fatigue, malaise and mild dizziness.
• What are spindle cell tumors? How to treat them? They are going to receive the same treatment as other types, and the prognosis is similar.

---

References

1. Yamazaki, K., Kazuno, K. Kajiura, Y., Sato, K., Ozawa, K., Sugimoto, H., Tokushashi, Y., Sugano, H., Sasajima, T., A case of adenocarcinoma with spindle cell metaplasia of the breast. Hokkaido Journal of Surgery(2000).
2. Barnes, PJ., Boutilier, R., Chiasson, D., Rayson, D., Metaplastic breast carcinoma: clinical–pathologic characteristics and HER2/neu expression. Breast Cancer Research and Treatment. Volume 91, Number 2, 173-178
3. DiGiovanna MP, Stern DF, Edgerton SM, Whalen SG, Moore D II Thor AD: Relationship of epidermal growth factor recepto expression to ErbB-2 signaling activity and prognosis in breast cancer patients. J Clin Oncol 2005, 23:1152-1160.
4. Azzopardi, J. G., Ahmed, A. and Millis, R. R.: Problems in breast pathology. Vol. 2, In, "Major Problems in Pathology." Editor: J. L. Bennington, W. B. Saunders Company Ltd., Philadelphia, London, Toronto, 1979, pp. 297-301.
5. Stanely, M., Tani, E., Skoog, L. Metaplastic carcinoma of the breast: Fine-needle aspiration cytology of seven cases. Diagnostic Cytopathology (January 1989) Volume 5, Issue 1, pages 22–28.
6. Wargotz ES, Deos PH, Norris HJ. Metaplastic carcinoma of the breast. II. Spindle cell carcinoma. Human Pathol 1989;20:732 -740

Back to Types of Lesions List or to the brand new Breast Cancer Homepage.