1. MySurgery.bg
Intracystic Carcinoma of the Breast
MySurgery.bg 2012, 2:1275
Svetlozar Tsvetanov¹
Aleksandra Dimitrova¹
Ivan Inkov²
Prof. George Baytchev³
¹Medical University of Sofia
²Medical University of Pleven
³Military Medical Academy - Sofia
ISSN – 1314-6785
Article type - Research
Submission date – 10.10.2012
Acceptance date – 11.10.2012
Publication date – 11.10.2012
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Intracystic Carcinoma of the Breast
Svetlozar Tsvetanov¹
Email: svetlozar_tsvetanov@abv.bg
Aleksandra Dimitrova¹
Email: ssandras@abv.bg
Ivan Inkov²
Email: inkov@mysurgery.bg
Prof. George Baytchev³
Email: baitchev@gmail.com
¹Medical University of Sofia, Bulgaria
²Medical University of Pleven, Bulgaria
³Military Medical Academy of Sofia, Bulgaria
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3. Abstract
Introduction
Intracystic carcinoma of the breast is a rare
malignant tumour, constituting 0.5- 1.4% of all breast
carcinomas in women. Most commonly occurs in older
women, after a long history of fibrocystic mastopathy
and presents a large cyst filled with haemorrhagic
content with fibrous wall where the cancer develops,
sometimes covering almost the entire inner wall of the
cyst without exofit growth in surrounding tissues.
Aim
The goal of the present study was to analyze the
results from eight patients with intracystic papillary
carcinoma of the breast, operated over a one-year period
(2010-2011) in the Thoracic surgery clinic in Military
Medical Academy- Sofia. In the present study we
examined their morphological characteristics and
treatment tactics.
Methods
The subjects of this prospective study were eight
patients with intracystic carcinoma, representing 2.54%
of all operated in connection with breast cancer. The
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4. average age of the patients was 58.1 years. Operative
excision was performed after preliminary evaluation
including clinical examination, diagnostic imaging
(echo or mammography) and cytological examination of
material from fine needle aspiration biopsy (FNAB). In
three patients was performed a modified radical
mastectomy and the remaining five - organ-preserving
surgery.
Results
The most common histological findings were
intracystic papillary carcinoma of the breast in 4
patients, followed by invasive ductal carcinoma in 3
patients and ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) in 1 case.
Conclusion
Regardless of the low frequency, there are three
things that should focus the clinician’s attention to this
rare pathology- anamnestic data for cystic mastopathy,
haemorrhagic contents in puncture and diagnostic
imaging data from (echo, pneumo or mammography).
Keywords
Breast, Intracystic carcinoma, Haemorragic content,
Mastopathy, Papillary carcinoma
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5. Background
Intracystic carcinoma of the breast is a rare malignant
tumour constituting 0,5-1,4 % of all breast carcinomas
in women.
Most commonly occurs in:
- older women
- after a long history of fibrocystic mastopathy
- presents a large cyst filled with haemorrhagic
content with fibrous wall where the cancer
develops, sometimes covering almost the entire
inner wall of the cyst without exophytic growth in
surrounding tissues.
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6. AIM
The aim of the present study was to analyze the results
from eight patients with intracystic papillary carcinoma
of the breast, operated over a one-year period (2010-
2011) in the Thoracic Surgery Clinic in Military
Medical Academy-Sofia. In the present study we
examined their morphological characteristics and
treatment tactics.
Methods
The subjects of this prospective study were eight
patients with intracystic carcinoma representing 2,54 %
of all operated in connection with breast cancer.
The average age of patients was 58.1 years.
Operative excision was performed after preliminary
evaluation including:
- clinical examination
- diagnostic imaging
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7. - cytological examination of material from fine
needle aspiration biopsy (FNAB)
In three patients were performed a modified radical
mastectomy and the remaining five-organ-preserving
surgery.
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8. Results
The most common histological findings were intracystic
papillary carcinomas of the breast in 4 patients followed
by invasive ductal carcinoma in 3 patients and ductal
carcinoma in situ (DCIS) in 1 case.
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9. Conclusion
Regardless of the low frequency, there are three things
that should focus the clinician’s attention to this rare
pathology – anamnestic data for cystic mastopathy,
haemorrhagic contents in puncture and diagnostic
imaging date from (echo-, pneumo- or mammography).
Abbreviations
FNAB – fine needle aspiration biopsy, DCIS – ductal
carcinoma in situ
Competing interests
9

10. The Authors declare that they have no competing
interest.
Author’s contributions
ST initiated the concept, performed the surgery,
literature search and write up of the manuscript. GB
performed the surgery and helped in the revision of the
article. AD contributed to the clinical management of
the patient and helped in the revision of the article. II
helped in the literature search, analyze date, helped
design the study and gave approval for the final write
up.
All authors read and approved the final manuscript.
References
1.Breast intracystic papillary carcinoms Warg H, Li F,
Luo B.
2.Surgical treatment of the intracystic carcinoms Kitada
M, Hayashi S.
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MySurgery.bg 2012, 2:1279
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