A Mucocele-Like Tumor of the Breast Associated with Ductal Carcinoma In Situ and Mucinous Carcinoma: A Case Report / 한국유방암학회지

A Mucocele-like tumor (MLT) of the breast is a rare lesion and is pathologically characterized by mucin-filled cysts and extravasated mucin present in the adjacent stroma. Since the first report of an MLT of the breast by Rosen in 1986, an MLT has been considered as part of a diverse spectrum of pathological lesions including benign tumors, atypical ductal hyperplasia (ADH), ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) and mucinous carcinomas. We described a case of an MLT of the breast associated with DCIS and a mucinous carcinoma in a 46-year-old female patient who was treated with a left modified radical mastectomy and a sentinel lymph node biopsy. This case supports the concept of a spectrum of pathological lesions for an MLT, including benign lesions, columnar hyperplasia, ADH, DCIS and mucinous carcinomas.

Radiologic Findings of Mucocele-like Tumor of the Breast

PURPOSE: To evaluate the mammographic and ultrasonographic findings of mucocele-like tumors. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twelve breast lesions from 1994 through 2004, coded as mucocele or mucocele-like tumors, were retrieved from the surgical pathology database files at our institution. Eleven of the patients had undergone mammography, and sonography had been performed in all 12 patients. We retrospectively reviewed the mammographic, sonographic and pathologic findings. RESULTS: The mammographies showed calcifications alone (n=6), calcification with mass or asymmetric density (n=3), and normal mammogram (n=2). The shapes of the calcifications were pleomorphic (n=4, 44.4%), amorphous (n=3, 33.3%) and round (n=2, 22.2%). Sonography was performed in all patients (n=12) and showed cysts (n=8), cystic mass (n=2), tubular hypoechoic structure (n=1) and hypoechoic mass (n=1). Pathologic examination revealed 5 cases of benign mucocele-like tumor that included epithelial hyperplasia without atypia (n=2) and atypical ductal hyperplasia (n=4), and 3 cases of associated intraductal carcinoma. Calcification was more frequently detected in the mucocele-like tumors with atypical ductal hyperplasia or intraductal carcinoma than in the benign tumors. Pleomorphic calcification was only visualized in those cases involving atypical hyperplasia or intraductal carcinoma. Of the 9 cases of calcification seen in the mammograms, 7 cases (77.8%) were detected in the associated sonograms and all were located within the lesion. CONCLUSION: The most common mammographic finding of mucocele-like tumors was segmentally distributed pleomorphic or amorphous calcifications, and the most common sonographic finding was cyst or cystic mass.

Mucocele-like Tumor of the Breast: A clinicopathologic case report

A mucocele-like tumor(MLT) is a spectrum lesion of the breast, which is usually associated with atypical ductal hyperplasia and mucinous carcinoma. We report here a case of MLT, with micropapillary hyperplasia.