What is Medullary Ductal Carcinoma of the Breast?
Medullary ductal carcinoma is a malignant (malignant) tumor and a subtype of invasive ductal carcinoma. Invasive ductal carcinoma is cancer that begins in the milk-carrying ducts and invades the fatty tissue of the breast. It shows a slightly better prognosis (the probable course of the disease) than invasive ductal carcinoma with a 10-year survival rate of more than 80%.Disease Epidemiology
Medullary ductal carcinoma accounts for approximately less than 1% of breast cancers. It usually affects women between the ages of 45 and 52.Disease Etiology (Causes)
There is no well-known cause, however, certain mutations in the breast cancer gene 1 (BRCA1) and (BRCA2) are thought to be responsible for the development of comedogenic ductal carcinoma in situ.Signs and Symptoms
The patient may suffer from the following signs and symptoms. These are- Soft palpable round mass in the breast
- Enlarge (swollen) lymph nodes
Diagnosis
The following diagnostic tests and procedures can be used to make a diagnose.- Mammography ( X-Ray breast)
- CT-scan, MRI, and PET scan to see the size, site, and extent of the tumor.
- Skin biopsy
- FNA( Fine needle aspiration) or core needle biopsy; are diagnostic procedures in which a sample of cells from a mass or lump is taken using a fine needle, which is then examined under a microscope.
- Histopathological examination