Clinical review--breast adenoid cystic carcinoma

Objectives: To review the published literature on the diagnosis and management of adenoid cystic carcinoma (ACC) of the breast.

Materials and methods: Papers were identified by searching PubMed using the terms « adenoid cystic carcinoma » and « breast ». Additional papers were identified by reviewing references of relevant articles.

Results: ACC of the breast is a rare tumour comprising less than 0.1% of breast malignancies. Its cellular origin in the breast remains unclear. The histological characteristics of ACC in the breast are similar to those of ACC of the salivary glands. However the prognosis of ACC of the breast is better than that of other localizations with prolonged survival. Breast-conserving treatment including postoperative radiotherapy seems to be equivalent to mastectomy alone with respect to survival. The value of adjuvant systemic therapies is not established. Late relapses can occur, so long-term follow-up is mandatory for these patients.

Conclusions: ACC of the breast has a favourable prognosis. An accurate diagnosis and appropriate treatment are therefore important.