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Diagnostic Pathology
Published in: Diagnostic Pathology 1/2010

Open Access 01-12-2010 | Case Report

Invasive lobular carcinoma with extracellular mucin production and HER-2 overexpression: a case report and further case studies

Authors: Jing Yu, Rohit Bhargava, David J Dabbs

Published in: Diagnostic Pathology | Issue 1/2010

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Abstract

Invasive lobular carcinomas (ILC) of breast typically demonstrate intracytoplasmic mucin. We present a unique case of classical type ILC with abundant extracellular mucin and strong ERBB2 (HER2/neu) expression confirmed by immunohistochemistry and fluorescent in situ hybridization. Dual E-cadherin/p120 immunohistochemical stain demonstrated complete loss of membranous E-cadherin and the presence of diffuse cytoplasmic p120 staining, confirming the lobular phenotype. The tumor cells showed ductal-like cytoplasmic MUC1 staining, but were negative for MUC2 and other mucin gene markers. In addition, studies of tissue microarrays of 80 breast carcinomas with mucinous differentiation revealed 4 pure mucinous carcinomas showing significantly reduced E-cadherin staining without redistribution of p120 into cytoplasm. The findings suggest that the presence of extracellular mucin does not exclude a diagnosis of lobular carcinoma, and the morphologic and molecular characteristics of lobular and ductal carcinomas are more complex than previously appreciated.
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Metadata
Title
Invasive lobular carcinoma with extracellular mucin production and HER-2 overexpression: a case report and further case studies
Authors
Jing Yu
Rohit Bhargava
David J Dabbs
Publication date
01-12-2010
Publisher
BioMed Central
Published in
Diagnostic Pathology / Issue 1/2010
Electronic ISSN: 1746-1596
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/1746-1596-5-36

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