Jessica W. T. Leung, MD; Wendie A. Berg, MD, PhD, FACR, FSBI
To access 4,300 diagnoses written by the world's leading experts in radiology, please log in or subscribe.Log inSubscribe
0
18
1
0
KEY FACTS
Terminology
Imaging
Top Differential Diagnoses
Pathology
Clinical Issues
TERMINOLOGY
Synonyms
Mucinous carcinoma = colloid, gelatinous, or mucous carcinoma
Definitions
Uncommon subtype of invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC) characterized by large amounts of extracellular mucin
Pure type: ≥ 90% of tumor shows mucin production
Mixed type: Tumors with less extensive mucin = IDC with mucinous features
IMAGING
General Features
Mammographic Findings
Ultrasonographic Findings
Image-Guided Biopsy
MR Findings
Nuclear Medicine Findings
Imaging Recommendations
DIFFERENTIAL DIAGNOSIS
PATHOLOGY
General Features
Gross Pathologic & Surgical Features
Microscopic Features
CLINICAL ISSUES
Presentation
Demographics
Natural History & Prognosis
Treatment
DIAGNOSTIC CHECKLIST
Consider
Image Interpretation Pearls
Selected References
Chaudhry AR et al: Imaging features of pure and mixed forms of mucinous breast carcinoma with histopathological correlation. Br J Radiol. 20180810, 2019
Pareja F et al: The Genomic Landscape of Mucinous Breast Cancer. J Natl Cancer Inst. ePub, 2019
Didonato R et al: Invasive mucinous carcinoma of the breast and response patterns after neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC). Histopathology. 72(6):965-973, 2018
Brogi E: Mucinous carcinoma. In Hoda SA et al: Rosen's Breast Pathology by Needle Core Biopsy. 4th ed. Philadelphia: Wolters Kluwer. 259-274, 2017
Guo Y et al: Whole-lesion histogram analysis of the apparent diffusion coefficient: Evaluation of the correlation with subtypes of mucinous breast carcinoma. J Magn Reson Imaging. ePub, 2017
Shin YG et al: Magnetic resonance imaging and pathological characteristics of pure mucinous carcinoma in the breast according to echogenicity on ultrasonography. Ultrasonography. 36(2):131-138, 2017
Bitencourt AG et al: MRI features of mucinous cancer of the breast: Correlation with pathologic findings and other imaging methods. AJR Am J Roentgenol. 206(2):238-46, 2016
Dong A et al: Spectrum of the breast lesions with increased 18F-FDG uptake on PET/CT. Clin Nucl Med. 41(7):543-57, 2016
Ferré R et al: Differentiation of fibroadenomas and pure mucinous carcinomas on dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI of the breast using volume segmentation for kinetic analysis: a feasibility study. AJR Am J Roentgenol. 206(2):253-8, 2016
Fu J et al: Clinical nomogram for predicting survival outcomes in early mucinous breast cancer. PLoS One. 11(10):e0164921, 2016
Igarashi T et al: Use of BI-RADS-MRI descriptors for differentiation between mucinous carcinoma and fibroadenoma. Eur J Radiol. 85(6):1092-8, 2016
Karan B et al: Diffusion-weighted imaging and (18) F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography in breast cancer: correlation of the apparent diffusion coefficient and maximum standardized uptake values with prognostic factors. J Magn Reson Imaging. 43(6):1434-44, 2016
Nassar L et al: Predictors of malignancy in hyperechoic breast lesions. J Ultrasound Med. 35(4):783-90, 2016
Nam SY et al: Ultrasonographic hyperechoic lesions of the breast: are they always benign? Acta Radiol. 56(1):18-24, 2015
Nardello SM et al: Invasive mucinous carcinoma arising in ectopic axillary breast tissue: a case report and literature review. Am J Case Rep. 16:153-9, 2015
Onishi N et al: Apparent diffusion coefficient as a potential surrogate marker for Ki-67 index in mucinous breast carcinoma. J Magn Reson Imaging. 41(3):610-5, 2015
Zhang L et al: Comparative analysis of imaging and pathology features of mucinous carcinoma of the breast. Clin Breast Cancer. 15(2):e147-54, 2015
Grajo JR et al: Strain elastography for prediction of breast cancer tumor grades. J Ultrasound Med. 33(1):129-34, 2014
Westra C et al: Using T2-weighted sequences to more accurately characterize breast masses seen on MRI. AJR Am J Roentgenol. 202(3):W183-90, 2014
Corben AD et al: Mucinous carcinoma. In Hoda SA et al: Rosen's Breast Pathology. 4th ed. Philadelphia: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, 2014
Barbashina V et al: Mucinous micropapillary carcinoma of the breast: an aggressive counterpart to conventional pure mucinous tumors. Hum Pathol. 44(8):1577-85, 2013
Farrokh A et al: Evaluation of real-time tissue sono-elastography in the assessment of 214 breast lesions: limitations of this method resulting from different histologic subtypes, tumor size and tumor localization. Ultrasound Med Biol. 39(12):2264-71, 2013
Kaoku S et al: Sonographic and pathologic image analysis of pure mucinous carcinoma of the breast. Ultrasound Med Biol. 39(7):1158-67, 2013
Kryvenko ON et al: Precursor lesions of mucinous carcinoma of the breast: analysis of 130 cases. Am J Surg Pathol. 37(7):1076-84, 2013
Tan JZ et al: Mucinous carcinomas of the breast: imaging features and potential for misdiagnosis. J Med Imaging Radiat Oncol. 57(1):25-31, 2013
Cao AY et al: Outcome of pure mucinous breast carcinoma compared to infiltrating ductal carcinoma: a population-based study from China. Ann Surg Oncol. 19(9):3019-27, 2012
Karan B et al: Unusual malignant breast lesions: imaging-pathological correlations. Diagn Interv Radiol. 18(3):270-6, 2012
Le-Petross H et al: Challenges and potential pitfalls in magnetic resonance imaging of more elusive breast carcinomas. Semin Ultrasound CT MR. 32(4):342-50, 2011
Linda A et al: Unusual malignant tumors of the breast: MRI features and pathologic correlation. Eur J Radiol. 75(2):178-84, 2010
Santamaria G et al: Radiologic and pathologic findings in breast tumors with high signal intensity on T2-weighted MR images. Radiographics. 30:533-48, 2010
Yoo JL et al: Can MR Imaging contribute in characterizing well-circumscribed breast carcinomas? Radiographics. 30(6):1689-702, 2010
Begum SM et al: Mucin extravasation in breast core biopsies--clinical significance and outcome correlation. Histopathology. 55(5):609-17, 2009
Chang YW et al: Synchronous bilateral mucinous carcinoma of the breast: case report. Clin Imaging. 33(1):62-6, 2009
Woodhams R et al: Diffusion-weighted imaging of mucinous carcinoma of the breast: evaluation of apparent diffusion coefficient and signal intensity in correlation with histologic findings. AJR Am J Roentgenol. 193(1):260-6, 2009
Di Saverio S et al: A retrospective review with long term follow up of 11,400 cases of pure mucinous breast carcinoma. Breast Cancer Res Treat. 111(3):541-7, 2008
Jinguji M et al: Rim enhancement of breast cancers on contrast-enhanced MR imaging: relationship with prognostic factors. Breast Cancer. 13(1):64-73, 2006
Lam WW et al: Role of fine needle aspiration and tru cut biopsy in diagnosis of mucinous carcinoma of breast--from a radiologist's perspective. Clin Imaging. 30(1):6-10, 2006
Narisada H et al: Correlation between numeric gadolinium-enhanced dynamic MRI ratios and prognostic factors and histologic type of breast carcinoma. AJR Am J Roentgenol. 187(2):297-306, 2006
Farshid G et al: Mucocele-like lesions of the breast: a benign cause for indeterminate or suspicious mammographic microcalcifications. Breast J. 11(1):15-22, 2005
Mizuta Y et al: A case of non-metastatic giant mucinous carcinoma of the breast. Breast Cancer. 12(4):337-40, 2005
Rakha EA et al: Expression of mucins (MUC1, MUC2, MUC3, MUC4, MUC5AC and MUC6) and their prognostic significance in human breast cancer. Mod Pathol. 18(10):1295-304, 2005
Bassett L et al: Diagnosis of Diseases of the Breast. 2nd ed. Philadelphia: Elsevier Saunders. 504-6, 2004
Harris J et al: Diseases of the Breast. 3rd ed. Philadelphia: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. 549-41, 2004
Komenaka IK et al: Pure mucinous carcinoma of the breast. Am J Surg. 187(4):528-32, 2004
Lam WW et al: Sonographic appearance of mucinous carcinoma of the breast. AJR Am J Roentgenol. 182(4):1069-74, 2004
Stavros AT: Breast Ultrasound. Philadelphia: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. 645-8, 2004
Gupta RK et al: Needle aspiration cytodiagnosis of mucinous (colloid) carcinoma of male breast. Pathology. 35(6):539-40, 2003
Kawashima M et al: MR imaging of mucinous carcinoma of the breast. AJR Am J Roentgenol. 179(1):179-83, 2002
Rosen P: Rosen's Breast Pathology. 2nd ed. Philadelphia: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. 463-81, 2001
Matsuda M et al: Mammographic and clinicopathological features of mucinous carcinoma of the breast. Breast Cancer. 7(1):65-70, 2000
Memis A et al: Mucinous (colloid) breast cancer: mammographic and US features with histologic correlation. Eur J Radiol. 35(1):39-43, 2000
Fujikawa T et al: A case of mucinous carcinoma of the male breast with unusual ultrasonographic findings mimicking phyllodes tumor. Breast Cancer. 5(1):83-86, 1998
Related Anatomy
Loading...
Related Differential Diagnoses
Loading...
References
Tables
Tables
KEY FACTS
Terminology
Imaging
Top Differential Diagnoses
Pathology
Clinical Issues
TERMINOLOGY
Synonyms
Mucinous carcinoma = colloid, gelatinous, or mucous carcinoma
Definitions
Uncommon subtype of invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC) characterized by large amounts of extracellular mucin
Pure type: ≥ 90% of tumor shows mucin production
Mixed type: Tumors with less extensive mucin = IDC with mucinous features
IMAGING
General Features
Mammographic Findings
Ultrasonographic Findings
Image-Guided Biopsy
MR Findings
Nuclear Medicine Findings
Imaging Recommendations
DIFFERENTIAL DIAGNOSIS
PATHOLOGY
General Features
Gross Pathologic & Surgical Features
Microscopic Features
CLINICAL ISSUES
Presentation
Demographics
Natural History & Prognosis
Treatment
DIAGNOSTIC CHECKLIST
Consider
Image Interpretation Pearls
Selected References
Chaudhry AR et al: Imaging features of pure and mixed forms of mucinous breast carcinoma with histopathological correlation. Br J Radiol. 20180810, 2019
Pareja F et al: The Genomic Landscape of Mucinous Breast Cancer. J Natl Cancer Inst. ePub, 2019
Didonato R et al: Invasive mucinous carcinoma of the breast and response patterns after neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC). Histopathology. 72(6):965-973, 2018
Brogi E: Mucinous carcinoma. In Hoda SA et al: Rosen's Breast Pathology by Needle Core Biopsy. 4th ed. Philadelphia: Wolters Kluwer. 259-274, 2017
Guo Y et al: Whole-lesion histogram analysis of the apparent diffusion coefficient: Evaluation of the correlation with subtypes of mucinous breast carcinoma. J Magn Reson Imaging. ePub, 2017
Shin YG et al: Magnetic resonance imaging and pathological characteristics of pure mucinous carcinoma in the breast according to echogenicity on ultrasonography. Ultrasonography. 36(2):131-138, 2017
Bitencourt AG et al: MRI features of mucinous cancer of the breast: Correlation with pathologic findings and other imaging methods. AJR Am J Roentgenol. 206(2):238-46, 2016
Dong A et al: Spectrum of the breast lesions with increased 18F-FDG uptake on PET/CT. Clin Nucl Med. 41(7):543-57, 2016
Ferré R et al: Differentiation of fibroadenomas and pure mucinous carcinomas on dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI of the breast using volume segmentation for kinetic analysis: a feasibility study. AJR Am J Roentgenol. 206(2):253-8, 2016
Fu J et al: Clinical nomogram for predicting survival outcomes in early mucinous breast cancer. PLoS One. 11(10):e0164921, 2016
Igarashi T et al: Use of BI-RADS-MRI descriptors for differentiation between mucinous carcinoma and fibroadenoma. Eur J Radiol. 85(6):1092-8, 2016
Karan B et al: Diffusion-weighted imaging and (18) F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography in breast cancer: correlation of the apparent diffusion coefficient and maximum standardized uptake values with prognostic factors. J Magn Reson Imaging. 43(6):1434-44, 2016
Nassar L et al: Predictors of malignancy in hyperechoic breast lesions. J Ultrasound Med. 35(4):783-90, 2016
Nam SY et al: Ultrasonographic hyperechoic lesions of the breast: are they always benign? Acta Radiol. 56(1):18-24, 2015
Nardello SM et al: Invasive mucinous carcinoma arising in ectopic axillary breast tissue: a case report and literature review. Am J Case Rep. 16:153-9, 2015
Onishi N et al: Apparent diffusion coefficient as a potential surrogate marker for Ki-67 index in mucinous breast carcinoma. J Magn Reson Imaging. 41(3):610-5, 2015
Zhang L et al: Comparative analysis of imaging and pathology features of mucinous carcinoma of the breast. Clin Breast Cancer. 15(2):e147-54, 2015
Grajo JR et al: Strain elastography for prediction of breast cancer tumor grades. J Ultrasound Med. 33(1):129-34, 2014
Westra C et al: Using T2-weighted sequences to more accurately characterize breast masses seen on MRI. AJR Am J Roentgenol. 202(3):W183-90, 2014
Corben AD et al: Mucinous carcinoma. In Hoda SA et al: Rosen's Breast Pathology. 4th ed. Philadelphia: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, 2014
Barbashina V et al: Mucinous micropapillary carcinoma of the breast: an aggressive counterpart to conventional pure mucinous tumors. Hum Pathol. 44(8):1577-85, 2013
Farrokh A et al: Evaluation of real-time tissue sono-elastography in the assessment of 214 breast lesions: limitations of this method resulting from different histologic subtypes, tumor size and tumor localization. Ultrasound Med Biol. 39(12):2264-71, 2013
Kaoku S et al: Sonographic and pathologic image analysis of pure mucinous carcinoma of the breast. Ultrasound Med Biol. 39(7):1158-67, 2013
Kryvenko ON et al: Precursor lesions of mucinous carcinoma of the breast: analysis of 130 cases. Am J Surg Pathol. 37(7):1076-84, 2013
Tan JZ et al: Mucinous carcinomas of the breast: imaging features and potential for misdiagnosis. J Med Imaging Radiat Oncol. 57(1):25-31, 2013
Cao AY et al: Outcome of pure mucinous breast carcinoma compared to infiltrating ductal carcinoma: a population-based study from China. Ann Surg Oncol. 19(9):3019-27, 2012
Karan B et al: Unusual malignant breast lesions: imaging-pathological correlations. Diagn Interv Radiol. 18(3):270-6, 2012
Le-Petross H et al: Challenges and potential pitfalls in magnetic resonance imaging of more elusive breast carcinomas. Semin Ultrasound CT MR. 32(4):342-50, 2011
Linda A et al: Unusual malignant tumors of the breast: MRI features and pathologic correlation. Eur J Radiol. 75(2):178-84, 2010
Santamaria G et al: Radiologic and pathologic findings in breast tumors with high signal intensity on T2-weighted MR images. Radiographics. 30:533-48, 2010
Yoo JL et al: Can MR Imaging contribute in characterizing well-circumscribed breast carcinomas? Radiographics. 30(6):1689-702, 2010
Begum SM et al: Mucin extravasation in breast core biopsies--clinical significance and outcome correlation. Histopathology. 55(5):609-17, 2009
Chang YW et al: Synchronous bilateral mucinous carcinoma of the breast: case report. Clin Imaging. 33(1):62-6, 2009
Woodhams R et al: Diffusion-weighted imaging of mucinous carcinoma of the breast: evaluation of apparent diffusion coefficient and signal intensity in correlation with histologic findings. AJR Am J Roentgenol. 193(1):260-6, 2009
Di Saverio S et al: A retrospective review with long term follow up of 11,400 cases of pure mucinous breast carcinoma. Breast Cancer Res Treat. 111(3):541-7, 2008
Jinguji M et al: Rim enhancement of breast cancers on contrast-enhanced MR imaging: relationship with prognostic factors. Breast Cancer. 13(1):64-73, 2006
Lam WW et al: Role of fine needle aspiration and tru cut biopsy in diagnosis of mucinous carcinoma of breast--from a radiologist's perspective. Clin Imaging. 30(1):6-10, 2006
Narisada H et al: Correlation between numeric gadolinium-enhanced dynamic MRI ratios and prognostic factors and histologic type of breast carcinoma. AJR Am J Roentgenol. 187(2):297-306, 2006
Farshid G et al: Mucocele-like lesions of the breast: a benign cause for indeterminate or suspicious mammographic microcalcifications. Breast J. 11(1):15-22, 2005
Mizuta Y et al: A case of non-metastatic giant mucinous carcinoma of the breast. Breast Cancer. 12(4):337-40, 2005
Rakha EA et al: Expression of mucins (MUC1, MUC2, MUC3, MUC4, MUC5AC and MUC6) and their prognostic significance in human breast cancer. Mod Pathol. 18(10):1295-304, 2005
Bassett L et al: Diagnosis of Diseases of the Breast. 2nd ed. Philadelphia: Elsevier Saunders. 504-6, 2004
Harris J et al: Diseases of the Breast. 3rd ed. Philadelphia: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. 549-41, 2004
Komenaka IK et al: Pure mucinous carcinoma of the breast. Am J Surg. 187(4):528-32, 2004
Lam WW et al: Sonographic appearance of mucinous carcinoma of the breast. AJR Am J Roentgenol. 182(4):1069-74, 2004
Stavros AT: Breast Ultrasound. Philadelphia: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. 645-8, 2004
Gupta RK et al: Needle aspiration cytodiagnosis of mucinous (colloid) carcinoma of male breast. Pathology. 35(6):539-40, 2003
Kawashima M et al: MR imaging of mucinous carcinoma of the breast. AJR Am J Roentgenol. 179(1):179-83, 2002
Rosen P: Rosen's Breast Pathology. 2nd ed. Philadelphia: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. 463-81, 2001
Matsuda M et al: Mammographic and clinicopathological features of mucinous carcinoma of the breast. Breast Cancer. 7(1):65-70, 2000
Memis A et al: Mucinous (colloid) breast cancer: mammographic and US features with histologic correlation. Eur J Radiol. 35(1):39-43, 2000
Fujikawa T et al: A case of mucinous carcinoma of the male breast with unusual ultrasonographic findings mimicking phyllodes tumor. Breast Cancer. 5(1):83-86, 1998
STATdx includes over 200,000 searchable images, including x-ray, CT, MR and ultrasound images. To access all images, please log in or subscribe.