Page 537 - Concise Pathology for Exam Preparation ( PDFDrive )

19

The Breast

• Breast is a modified apocrine gland, which is composed of 6–10 major ductal systems that
can be traced from the nipple (keratinizing stratified squamous epithelium of the skin
continues into the ducts and abruptly changes into double-layered cuboidal epithelium).
• The larger ducts branch successively and lead to terminal duct lobular units (TDLUs;
Fig. 19.1).
• Terminal duct further branches into clusters of small acini to form a lobule.
• Ducts and lobules are lined by two cell types:
• A basal layer of low, flattened and contractile myoepithelial cells
• A second luminal layer of epithelial cells
• Majority of breast stroma consists of dense fibrous connective tissue admixed with
adipose tissue (interlobular stroma).
• Present within the lobules is breast specific, hormone responsive and delicate myxomatous
stroma (intralobular stroma).

Q. Write briefly on benign epithelial lesions of the breast.

Ans. Benign epithelial lesions of the breast include the various benign alterations in its
ducts and lobules. They are classified into three types, depending on the subsequent risk
of breast cancer, namely:
• Nonproliferative breast changes (also called fibrocystic changes)
• Proliferative breast disease without atypia
• Atypical hyperplasia

FIGURE 19.1. Diagrammatic representation of normal breast parenchyma.
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