Squamous Cell Carcinoma in Breast Oncology

Squamous cell carcinoma of the breast is an exceptionally rare and aggressive malignancy characterised by keratinising epithelial cells that normally do not reside within mammary tissue. Representing less than 0.1 – 0.4% of all breast cancers, it most often presents as a rapidly enlarging, firm mass, frequently in a “triple-negative” immunophenotype lacking oestrogen, progesterone and HER2 receptors. Histopathologically, pure squamous cell carcinoma and metaplastic variants share features of keratinisation, necrosis and frequent high-grade morphology. Clinical management poses significant challenges: standard breast adenocarcinoma regimens often yield limited response, surgical resection remains the mainstay of therapy, and the benefit of adjuvant chemotherapy or radiotherapy is not well defined. Survival outcomes are generally inferior to those of conventional ductal carcinomas, with a propensity for local recurrence and distant metastases. Recent work has sought to refine diagnostic criteria, establish the role of hormone-blocking and targeted agents, and assess the impact of radiation, while emphasising the necessity of multidisciplinary approaches for this rare entity.

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Squamous Cell Carcinoma in Breast Oncology publication trend

The graph below shows the total number of articles in squamous cell carcinoma in breast oncology across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).

Technical terms

Triple-negative: A tumour lacking oestrogen receptor, progesterone receptor and HER2 receptor expression, often associated with limited treatment options and more aggressive behaviour.

Metaplastic carcinoma: A form of breast cancer in which glandular epithelium transforms into non-glandular cell types, such as squamous or mesenchymal cells.

Neoadjuvant therapy: Treatment (chemotherapy, targeted agents or radiotherapy) administered before the main surgical intervention to shrink a tumour and improve operability.

Endocrine therapy: Systemic treatment that blocks or modulates hormone receptors to inhibit growth of hormone-sensitive tumour cells.

References

1. Case report: Apatinib combined with neoadjuvant therapy for primary squamous cell carcinoma of the breast: a case report. Frontiers in Pharmacology (2023).
2. Clinicopathological features, treatment patterns, and prognosis of squamous cell carcinoma of the breast: an NCDB analysis. BMC Cancer (2019).
3. Effect of postoperative radiotherapy for squamous cell cancer of the breast in a surveillance epidemiology and end results population-based study. Oncotarget (2016).