Triple-negative breast carcinomas of low malignant potential: review on diagnostic criteria and differential diagnoses

Abstract

Triple-negative breast carcinomas constitute a wide spectrum of lesions, mostly being highly aggressive. Nevertheless, some special histologic subtypes can have low malignant potential. The purpose of the present paper is to review diagnostic criteria and prognostic parameters of breast neoplasms of special histotypes. Specifically, adenoid cystic carcinoma, adenomyoepithelioma, acinic cell carcinoma, mucoepidermoid carcinoma, tall cell carcinoma with reverse polarity, and secretory carcinoma will be discussed. For each tumour, definition and morphological and molecular features, together with prognostic parameters, will be presented. Paradigmatic cases will be illustrated.

Keywords: Acinic cell carcinoma; Adenoid cystic carcinoma; Adenomyoepithelioma; Mucoepidermoid carcinoma; Secretory carcinoma; Tall cell carcinoma with reverse polarity; Triple-negative breast carcinoma.