Published online Dec 16, 2014. doi: 10.12998/wjcc.v2.i12.732
Revised: September 3, 2014
Accepted: September 18, 2014
Published online: December 16, 2014
Processing time: 168 Days and 13 Hours
Adenoid cystic carcinoma (ACC) of the breast is a rare special subtype of breast cancer characterized by the presence of a dual cell population of luminal and basaloid cells arranged in specific growth patterns. Most breast cancers with triple-negative, basal-like breast features (i.e., tumors that are devoid of estrogen receptor, progesterone receptor, and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 expression, and express basal cell markers) are generally high-grade tumors with an aggressive clinical course. Conversely, while ACCs also display a triple-negative, basal-like phenotype, they are usually low-grade and exhibit an indolent clinical behavior. Many discoveries regarding the molecular and genetic features of the ACC, including a specific chromosomal translocation t(6;9) that results in a MYB-NFIB fusion gene, have been made in recent years. This comprehensive review provides our experience with the ACC of the breast, as well as an overview of clinical, histopathological, and molecular genetic features.
Core tip: Adenoid cystic carcinoma (ACC) of the breast is a rare, special subtype of breast cancer characterized by the presence of luminal and basaloid cells arranged in specific growth patterns. Although ACCs display a triple-negative, basal-like phenotype, these tumors are usually low-grade and exhibit an indolent clinical behavior. Many discoveries regarding the molecular genetic features of the ACC, including a specific chromosomal translocation t(6;9) that results in a MYB-NFIB fusion gene, have been made in recent years. This review provides our experience with ACCs, as well as an overview of its clinical, histopathological, and molecular genetic features.