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General and Systemic Histopathology, C601&C602
     
    Slide 33: Skin with metastatic breast cancer
     
     
    This situation is different from what we looked at in slide 31.  Here we actually see little dermal implants of metastatic breast cancer, not epithelial spread.  These metastases can be from anywhere, unlike the situation of Paget's disease depicted in slide 31, where the spread is by direct continuity to the overlying nipple skin.

    See this slide with the virtual microscope.

    Note the difference between this slide and #31. The malignant cells are in the dermis and represent a distant metastases, not a direct "creeping type" spread from the breast ducts below the epidermis. This pattern is more typical of metastatic breast cancer. Take a look for the single file arrangement and "pseudoglandular" organization of this tumor. This pattern is highly characteristic which makes it possible to make a very good guess as to the primary when presented only with the metastatic tumor.


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