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Hematoxylin & eosin

Hematoxylin & eosin

History: This slide was taken from the archive and no history was provided. However, women with this condition often complain of nipple discharge.

Histologic Highlights of this Case:

• The overall architecture is that of a papillary proliferation within a dilated cystic structure. The wall of the cyst is lined by attenuated epithelial cells (Area 1) which suggest that this is originally very likely to be a ductal structure.

• The papillary proliferation is composed of fronds of fibrovascular stroma covered by a single layer of epithelial cells without atypical nuclear changes or epithelial hyperplasia (piling up of layers of epithelial cells). The the epithelial cells have not breached the basement membrane and invade into the stroma. (Area 1 and 2)

Comment: 

• Intraductal papillomas often arise in the laciferous ducts in subareolar and central part of the breast. As illustrated here, the duct is dilated by the papilloma and may be dilated to a cystic extent. The cyst may contain clear fluid, bloody fluid, or even coagulated blood.