Medullary carcinoma of the breast is one of the rare subtypes or forms of cancer of the milk ducts called invasive ductal carcinoma. This cancer is the spreadable kind.

Medullary carcinoma gets its name from the fact that it is mass of cancer cells, which is fleshy and soft and looks like the medulla area of the brain. There is about 3 to 5 percent of medullary carcinoma reported among breast cancer patients each year in the United States.

Medullary carcinoma can affect women of any age, at any time, but it is most often reported in women who are in their 40s and 50s. Medullary carcinoma is actually more common in Japan than it is in the United States. This type of cancer is common in women with the BRCA1 gene mutation. When studied under the microscope, these cancer cells look very aggressive, meaning they are of the variety that will spread, however in actually fact they are what is called low grade cancer because they grow very slowly and they stay in the same place. Medullary carcinoma is easier to treat because they are localized and do not pose the threat of metastasizing (spreading) elsewhere.

Symptoms

Just as we find with other breast cancers, medullary carcinoma often starts out with no symptoms at all. Gradually, a lump may be detected and this lump can hard be hard or soft and mushy. The lumps are really tiny, measuring less than three quarters of an inch and sometimes women do not notice. However what is more noticeable, is that medullary carcinoma can cause pain and swelling in the breast. The breast or parts of it may become red as well.

Diagnosis

Physical examination

Even though you may not have caught the lump in your own breast self examination, it is possible that the doctor can pick it up when you have your physical examination

Tests that provide images of the inside of the breast can often detect these medullary carcinoma lumps.

Mammogram

A mammogram will locate the lump and also find other types of breast cancer if present. The medullary carcinoma will appear as a well-defined lump. However, there are some studies which indicate that a mammogram does not always pick up medullary carcinoma and often time it is a self breast examination or a breast examination by a doctor who can actually pick up this particular kind of cancer.

Ultra Sound

An ultra sound is often used to further detect if there are any tumors present.

Biopsy

A fine needle biopsy is a very small hollow needle, which is inserted into the breast to get a sample of the cancer cells. This fine needle biopsy does not leave a scar. If a needle biopsy does not give enough information, a tissue sample biopsy may be required. Biopsies are important because the imaging machines cannot differentiate medullary carcinoma from other types of breast cancer. Pathologists need to exam the breast cells under a microscope.

How Pathologists can determine medullary carcinoma from other types of breast cancer

Medullary carcinoma has well defined boundaries, the cancer cells may push against healthy cells but they do not invade healthy cells and spread. Medullary carcinoma are large cells and they look like cancer cells, but they don’t spread. The pattern of these cells is spread like a big sheet and it is hard to see the difference cells and their membranes (outer lining). Another feature of the medullary carcinoma is that lymphocytes and plasma cells which are immune system cells are found on the edges of these medullary carcinoma cells. It is believed that these immune system cells are actually keeping the cancer cells in check so they cannot spread.

The pathologist must find all these features in the cells for it to be a true medullary carcinoma cell. Medullary carcinoma cells also have a protein called p53. If only some of the features are present it could be that they are mixed with evasive ductal carcinoma cells and then the classification would be, “atypical medullary carcinoma.”

Related Posts

• What Is Mucinous Carcinoma Of The Breast?
• Paget’s Disease
• The Most Invasive Common Breast Cancer
• What Are Some Of The Types Of Breast Cancer Create Thickening Of The Skin?
• Can You Have Breast Cancers In Different Areas Of The Body?