Toker cell hyperplasia in Zuska disease: A tricky association

Abstract

Toker cells (TCs) are sometimes present in the nipple epidermis as oval cells with pale cytoplasm and roundish nuclei. In most cases, TCs may be easily distinguished from cancerous cells of Paget disease of the nipple (PCs). Especially in TC hyperplasia, in which mild-to-moderate atypia may be present, it may be challenging to distinguish between TCs and PCs. The combination of chronic inflammatory changes in the nipple, in the context of Zuska disease, and TC hyperplasia, may easily lead to an erroneous diagnosis of mammary Paget disease.

A Rare Collision of Vulvar Melanoma and Extramammary Paget Disease: Case Report and Review of the Literature

“…19 Both Toker cell hyperplasia and EMPD will be positive for CK7, but the former is negative for Her-2/neu with low Ki-67 proliferation. 20 Determining a prognosis for collision tumors can be difficult because the aggressiveness of these lesions is unclear. Some have suggested that the less aggressive malignancy restricts the invasion of the more aggressive one.…”

“…19 Both Toker cell hyperplasia and EMPD will be positive for CK7, but the former is negative for Her-2/neu with low Ki-67 proliferation. 20…”

Nipple Lesions of the Breast

“…Toker cell hyperplasia in the epidermis overlying SMOLD has recently been described. The authors suggested that inflammation may trigger the proliferation of Toker cells, 23 but this hypothesis requires further validation.…”