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 […]
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 […]
Fat necrosis
Fat necrosis Fat necrosis is a benign breast lesion which can radiologically, clinically and histologically (especially on frozen sections) simulate malignancy. Only a minority of patients report a history of trauma. FNA specimens show necrotic and degenerating adipocytes with amorphous debris, inflammatory cells (neutrophils, plasma cells, lymphocytes) and numerous lipid-laden macrophages (lipophages). Multinucleated foreign body-type […]
Mucinous (colloid) carcinoma
Mucinous (colloid) carcinoma Mucinous (colloid) carcinoma accounts for approximately 5% of breast carcinomas and typically occurs in older women. It is associated with a better prognosis than the invasive ductal carcinoma NOS. Mucinous carcinomas can be divided into pure, mixed and signet ring cell carcinoma, with the latter having the worst prognosis. Mammography usually shows […]
Fibrocystic change
Fibrocystic change Fibrocystic change is the most common lesion to produce a breast mass in women aged over 30. Up to 50% of women have palpable ‘lumpiness’ and up to 90% show histological changes. The lesions of fibrocystic change, usually multiple and bilateral, are the most common palpable lesions sampled by FNA. Histologic features include […]
Fibroadenoma
Fibroadenoma Fibroadenoma is the most common breast neoplasm, occurring in all age groups, but especially common in young women from 20 to 35 years of age. In contrast with the ill-defined nature of fibrocystic change, fibroadenomata are movable, discrete nodules, measuring usually less than 4 cm in maximum dimension. They often increase in size with […]