A review of mucinous lesions of the breast

Breast J. 2020 Jun;26(6):1168-1178. doi: 10.1111/tbj.13878. Epub 2020 May 18.

Abstract

Mucinous lesions of the breast include a variety of benign and malignant epithelial processes that display intracytoplasmic or extracellular mucin, including mucocele-like lesions, mucinous carcinoma, solid papillary carcinoma, and other rare subtypes of mucin-producing carcinoma. The finding of free-floating or stromal mucin accumulations is a diagnostic challenge of which the significance depends on the clinical, radiologic, and pathologic context. This article emphasizes the differential diagnosis between benign and malignant mucin-producing lesions, with a brief consideration of potential mimics, such as biphasic and mesenchymal lesions with associated with mucinous, myxoid, or matrix material.

Keywords: breast; invasive lobular carcinoma with extracellular mucin; mucinous; mucocele-like; solid papillary.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Adenocarcinoma, Mucinous* / diagnostic imaging
  • Breast
  • Breast Neoplasms* / diagnostic imaging
  • Carcinoma, Ductal, Breast*
  • Diagnosis, Differential
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Mucins

Substances

  • Mucins