E-CADHERIN EXPRESSION IN RARE HISTOLOGICAL VARIANTS OF BREAST CARCINOMA: CLINICOPATHOLOGICAL CORRELATION AND PROGNOSTIC IMPLICATIONS

Abstract

Breast cancer is the most common malignancy among women worldwide and remains a leading cause of cancer-related mortality. (1) Although invasive breast carcinoma of no special type accounts for nearly 70–80% of all cases, several rare histological variants contribute to a small but clinically important proportion of breast malignancies. (2) These uncommon variants exhibit diverse biological behaviour, molecular profiles and prognostic outcomes. (3) Metaplastic carcinoma is characterised by epithelial-mesenchymal differentiation and is often associated with aggressive behaviour and poor prognosis. (4) In contrast, adenoid cystic carcinoma generally demonstrates indolent clinical behaviour despite frequently exhibiting a triple-negative phenotype. (5) Invasive micropapillary carcinoma is recognised for its high incidence of lymphovascular invasion and nodal metastasis, while medullary-pattern carcinoma often exhibits favourable outcomes despite high-grade morphology. (6)