From the Research
Apocrine metaplasia is not cancerous. It is a benign (non-cancerous) condition where normal breast tissue cells change into apocrine cells, which are larger cells with granular cytoplasm. This condition is commonly found during breast biopsies and is considered a normal variant or physiological change in breast tissue. Apocrine metaplasia is often associated with fibrocystic breast changes and typically doesn't require treatment.
Key Points
- Apocrine metaplasia is a benign condition, as supported by a study published in 2022 1
- Having apocrine metaplasia doesn't increase your risk for developing breast cancer in the future
- If apocrine metaplasia is found during a breast biopsy, no further intervention is typically needed beyond routine breast cancer screening appropriate for your age and risk factors
- The exact cause of apocrine metaplasia isn't fully understood, but it may be related to hormonal influences on breast tissue, as suggested by a study published in 2017 2
Diagnosis and Treatment
- Apocrine metaplasia can be diagnosed through breast biopsy, with imaging features that may include microlobulated or lobulated masses, or heterogeneous calcification clusters 3
- A study published in 2021 4 reported a challenging case of biopsy-proven cystic apocrine metaplasia that presented with initially suspicious imaging findings concerning for malignancy
- Understanding the histological basis of apocrine metaplasia and correlating it with recognized imaging features may increase diagnostic accuracy and reduce tissue resampling due to discordant histopathological results
Conclusion Not Applicable - Outcome Based Answer Only
Based on the most recent and highest quality study available, apocrine metaplasia is not cancerous and does not require treatment beyond routine breast cancer screening 1.