Breast Specimens

Mastectomy: Carcinoma (S/P neoadjuvant therapy)

The specimen is received fresh labeled “left breast mastectomy–long lateral short superior” and consists of a 441 g, 17.0 x 16.0 x 4.5 cm, mastectomy specimen with an attached 8.5 x 3.5 x 0.3 cm tan-white wrinkled skin ellipse.  There is a centrally located raised firm nipple measuring 1.5 x 1.0 x 0.4 cm.  The specimen is oriented as follows: short suture = superior aspect, long suture = lateral aspect. .  The deep surface is inked in black.

Serial sectioning reveals a 2.5 x 2.3 x 1.5 cm well circumscribed hemorrhagic cystic encapsulated biopsy cavity in the upper outer quadrant surrounded by an indurated and hemorrhagic breast parenchyma.  The cavity is within 0.2 cm of the closest deep margin and within 1.5 cm of the closest anterior soft tissue surface. A clip is not identified. No residual tumor is identified. The remainder of the breast parenchyma is tan-yellow lobular fibrofatty and unremarkable. On palpation 1 possible tan-pink, firm lymph node is identified that measures 0.4 cm in greatest dimension. 

Lumpectomy: Carcinoma

The specimen is received in formalin labeled “right breast 3 o’clock” and consists of an oriented lumpectomy specimen that measures 6.0 cm (anterior to posterior) x 5.5 cm (superior to inferior) x 6.8 cm (medial to lateral). Orientation is as follows: short suture = superior aspect, long suture = lateral aspect. There is a guide-wire along the antero-medial aspect. Inking for margin evaluation is as follows: Anterior = yellow, posterior = black, superior = orange, inferior = red medial = blue, lateral = green.

The specimen is serially and sequentially sectioned from lateral to medial to reveal a 2.5 x 1.5 x 1.6 cm, firm, tan-gray lesion with poorly demarcated borders..It is located 1.0 cm from the anterior margin, 2.4 cm from the posterior margin, 1.9 cm from the superior margin 1.1 cm from the inferior margin, 2.5 cm from the medial margin, and 3.0 cm from the lateral margin. The uninvolved breast parenchyma is tan-yellow, fibrofatty, and otherwise unremarkable. A clip is not identified.