Microglandular adenosis is an advanced precursor breast lesion with evidence of molecular progression to matrix-producing metaplastic carcinoma

Abstract

Microglandular adenosis (MGA) is a rare breast lesion reported to be associated with invasive carcinoma in up to 20% to 30% of cases and has been proposed as a nonobligate precursor to basal-like breast cancers. We identified a case of matrix-producing metaplastic carcinoma with morphologic and immunohistochemical evidence of progression from MGA to atypical MGA, carcinoma in situ, and invasive carcinoma. We performed whole-exome sequencing of each component (MGA, atypical MGA, carcinoma in situ, and cancer) to characterize the mutational landscape of these foci. There was a significant copy number overlap between all foci, including a segmental amplification of the CCND1 locus (partial chromosome 11 trisomy) and MYC (8q24.12-13). Using a bioinformatics approach, we were able to identify 3 putative mutational clusters and recurrent, stop-gain nonsynonymous mutations in both ZNF862 and TP53 that were shared across all foci. Finally, we identified a novel deleterious splice-acceptor site mutation of chr5:5186164 G>T (chromosome 5p15) encoding the gene, ADAMTS16, in the invasive component.

Keywords: ADAMTS16; Breast cancer; Metaplastic carcinoma; Microglandular adenosis; TP53; Whole-exome sequencing.