Papillary carcinoma
Papillary carcinoma Pure papillary carcinoma is rare in breast, although a papillary component may be present in up to 3-4% of breast carcinomas. It typically occurs in postmenopausal women. FNA smears show three-dimensional papillary groupings of cells, some with fibro-vascular cores, with scattered columnar tumour cells and a bloody diathesis with haemosiderin-laden macrophages in the […]
Adenoid cystic carcinoma
Adenoid cystic carcinoma Adenoid cystic carcinoma is a rare type of breast carcinoma, usually associated with an excellent prognosis and generally not resulting in lymph node metastases. Its cytological features are identical to the ones of its more common salivary gland counterpart. The smears consist of nests of small uniform, basaloid cells that are intimately […]
Invasive Lobular carcinoma
Invasive lobular carcinoma accounts for 5-10% of invasive breast carcinomas. This tumour is often bilateral and multicentric. Histologically, lobular carcinoma consists of infiltrating, small uniform cells with eccentrically placed, mildly hyperchromatic round nuclei and high N/C ratio. The cells can align themselves in a linear pattern or have a targetoid arrangement around ducts. Because of […]
Tubular carcinoma
Tubular carcinoma Tubular carcinoma is a type of breast carcinoma which is usually small in size and is characterized by an excellent prognosis. Histology shows infiltrating, angular to comma-shaped tubular structures consisting of relatively small, uniform cells with round, bland, low-grade nuclei, usually with a prominently desmoplastic stroma. Cytological diagnostic features Mild to moderate cellularity […]
Other rare variants of Breast Carcinoma
Other rare variants of Breast Carcinoma Apocrine carcinoma Apocrine carcinoma is a morphologic variant of ductal carcinoma. FNA smears contain numerous epithelial cells arranged in syncytial fragments along with individually scattered cells. The cells show apocrine features, consisting of abundant basophilic to eosinophilic granular cytoplasm and large nuclei with prominent nucleoli. It can be difficult […]
Phyllodes tumour
Phyllodes tumour Phyllodes tumour is a rare biphasic epithelial and stromal neoplasm of the breast. Most patients are in their fourth or fifth decade of life. The biological behaviour of these tumours is unpredictable, although tumour size, mitotic activity and stromal atypia are histological guidelines for assessing the biological potential. The malignant cases resemble and […]
C5: Malignant
This category indicates an adequate sample showing cells characteristic of carcinoma, or other malignancy. Malignancy should never be diagnosed on the basis of a single criterion. Combinations of the features listed in the following table will be always necessary to achieve the diagnosis. Criterion Benign Malignant General characteristics Cellularity Usually poor or moderate Usually high […]
Gynaecomastia
Gynaecomastia Gynaecomastia is a hormonally dependent lesion appearing most often in adolescents and older male patients. It can be classified as juvenile, idiopathic or drug-related. Cytological diagnostic features Low to moderate cellularity Groups of ductal cells Occasional apocrine cells Occasional mild nuclear atypia and nucleoli Stromal bipolar naked nuclei
Medullary carcinoma
Medullary carcinoma Medullary carcinoma is a rare type of breast carcinoma, usually occurring in the fifth and sixth decade of life. It characteristically presents as a well-demarcated lesion. Medullary carcinoma has been thought to have a better prognosis than ductal carcinoma NOS, although some studies have suggested that this is not true. Cytological diagnostic features […]
Evaluation of the specimen
Evaluation of nipple secretions Evaluation of FNA specimens Evaluation of nipple secretions A nipple discharge may be unilateral or bilateral; unilateral ones are more likely to be malignant. The secretion can be milky, serous, purulent or bloody. Cancer is most prevalent when the discharge is macroscopically bloody. Benign nipple secretions – cytologic diagnostic features Usually […]