AFIP Atlas of Tumor Pathology Series 4, Fascicle 10: Tumors of the Mammary Gland">
Turkish Journal of Pathology

Türk Patoloji Dergisi

Turkish Journal of Pathology

Turkish Journal of Pathology

2009, Vol 25, Num, 2

AFIP Atlas of Tumor Pathology Series 4, Fascicle 10: Tumors of the Mammary Gland

Sıtkı Tuzlalı 1

1 Istanbul University, Istanbul Medical Faculty, Department of Pathology, Istanbul, TURKEY

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Introduction

Tavassoli, F, Eusebi V: ARP Press, Silver Spring, Maryland, May 2009, 418 pp, €147.45 ISBN: 9781933477053.

Contents: Normal Anatomy * Benign Lesions * Lobular Intraepithelial Neoplasia * Ductal Intraepithelial Neoplasia * Papillary Lesions of the Breast * Microinvasive Carcinoma * Staging of Breast Carcinoma and Prognostic and Predictive Indicators * Major Variants of Carcinoma * Carcinomas of Low-Grade Malignancy * Uncommon Variants of Carcinoma * Myoepithelial Lesions * Benign Soft Tissue Lesions * Sarcomas * Biphasic Tumors * Diseases of the Nipple * Lymphoid and Hematopoietic Lesions * Male Breast Lesions * Metastases to the Breast from Nonmammary Neoplasms.

“Tumors of the Mammary Gland” written by Fattaneh Tavassoli and Vincenzo Eusebi, well- known experts of the breast pathology is about to be presented to the use of pathologists. This new book of “Atlas of Tumor Pathology” series published by AFIP will draw the attentions of both the specialists dealing with surgical pathology, and those specifically working on the pathology of the breast.

This tenth book of the fourth AFIP series, printed hard cover, is composed of 18 chapters, appendix, and contents sections. All illustrations in this 418 paged book are full-colored.

Describing the subjects in a brief, and comprehensible form, this atlas will take its place on microscopy desktop of the pathologists. The distribution of subjects is also well-balanced in this atlas comprising 474 figures, some of which including more than one photograph.

As will be expected, ductal proliferative lesions and in situ ductal carcinomas are evaluated according to Tavassoli's DIN terminology, and both in the headings and in the text, DIN is used in association with the classical terminology. This section provides an update of Dr Tavassoli's current approach in a book chapter, and moreover give the readers a chance to understand the proposed differences compared to WHO classification.

“Benign tumors of soft tissue” and “sarcomas” are intriguing chapters. Lesions except those with typical and single way of differentiation such as liposarcoma, osteosarcoma, leiomyoma, schwannoma are explained in a simple terminology. Authors classify benign soft tissue lesions with a multidirectional differentiation capacity as “benign stromal spindle cell tumors, BSSCT”. They subcategorize these tumors into “BSSCT with predominant myofibroblastic differentiation”, “BSSCT with predominant adipocytic component” (spindle cell lipoma), and “BSSCT with predominant fibroblastic component” (solitary fibrous tumor, hemangiopericytoma). Sarcomas are termed “malignant stromal cell tumors” and subgrouped as “tumors with predominant fibroblastic differentiation (fibrosarcoma, malignant fibrous histiocytoma)” and those “tumors with predominant myofibroblastic differentiation (malignant myofibroblastoma, myofibrosarcoma)”. This terminology provides an easy approach to these lesions which pose diagnostic difficulties for pathologists because of their multifaced appearance. Both chapters are the richest parts of the book in respect to microscopic photographs.

Breast carcinomas are discussed in three categories: Major types (including invasive ductal-NOS, and invasive lobular carcinomas), low grade carcinomas, and rare carcinomas. As in the other chapters things to be said are given in a brief and comprehensive way, answers are provided to the questions in the mind of general and breast pathologists. The definitions of tumor types, alternative terminologies, macroscopic, microscopic and in most of them cytologic findings are given in detail; up-to-date information about prognosis and treatment is mentioned.

In the appendix, subjects of thin needle aspiration biopsy and core biopsy are mentioned in detail, macro-section technique is also explained, and synoptic reporting proposal of Association of Directors of Anatomic and Surgical Pathology (ADASP) is given.

In conclusion, “Tumors of the Mammary Gland” is an important book directed to morphology of breast lesions. Morphology of several lesions, encountered during routine practice, are explained in a brief form; considering the size of the book a great number of demonstrative photographs, all full-colored, are given.

Describing the subjects in a simple, comprehensible and brief form, this book will be an important information source, and a guide book for both general and breast pathologists in the way to diagnosis.

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