Tubular Carcinoma of the Breast

Tubular Carcinoma Is Not Really Tubular

Serial sections with 3-D reconstruction shows the actual structure is not tubular
- No continuous and/or branching tubules
Pattern is better described as a necklace formed by a string of beads
- Oval to spherical cavitated blebs with tapering ends
- Connected by short strands of cells
Tubulolobular carcinoma has a similar pattern but with longer connecting strands of cells
These findings explain the observed pattern that always appears to be cross-sections or oblique sections of tubules, but never longitudinal sections
See Marchio et al. 2006 for the full story