Fine needle aspiration cytology findings of mucinous carcinoma of breast: a study of eight cases with histological correlation

A Jha,Rc Adhikari

doi:10.3126/jpn.v2i4.6879

Abstract

Background: Pure mucinous carcinoma is a rare histologic type of mammary neoplasm and may exist as mixed mucinous-ductal carcinoma. This study aims to describe fine needle aspiration cytology features of mucinous carcinoma of breast diagnosed in Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital, Nepal over the period of 2 years and to correlate with histological findings.Materials and Methods: There were a total of 8 cases of mucinous carcinoma of breast, diagnosed on fine needle aspiration cytology in TUTH during the period from April 2010 to March 2012. The patient’s age, laterality of involvement, fine needle aspiration cytology features, gross and histological findings, type of surgery performed and tumor size were evaluated. Fine needle aspiration cytology smears were evaluated for cellularity, amount of mucin, chicken-wire vasculature and nuclear atypia.Results: Fine needle aspiration cytology provided a pre-operative diagnosis of mucinous carcinoma in 5 cases and mixed mucinous carcinoma-invasive ductal carcinoma in 3 cases. Histological examination showed pure mucinous carcinoma in 3 cases, mixed mucinous carcinoma-invasive ductal carcinoma in 4 cases and mixed cribriform carcinoma and ductal carcinoma in 1 case.Conclusion: Mucinous carcinoma may appear clinically and radiologically benign and fine needle aspiration cytology plays important role in the correct pre-operative diagnosis. Significant nuclear pleomorphism and necrosis, in addition to extracellular mucin suggests mixed mucinous carcinomainvasive ductal carcinoma.Journal of Pathology of Nepal (2012) Vol. 2, 285-288DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3126/jpn.v2i4.6879

Highlights

Mucin-producing carcinomas of the breast have been described in pure form and as mixed mucinous-ductal type.[1]
This study describes the spectrum of cytological features observed in our cases and we compared fine needle aspiration (FNA) smears and correspondence histological findings
This was a retrospective study of Fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) of breast during the period from April 2010 to March 2012 with a diagnosis of mucinous carcinoma from the record of department of pathology Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital, Kathmandu, Nepal

Summary

Introduction

Mucin-producing carcinomas of the breast have been described in pure form and as mixed mucinous-ductal type.[1] Pure mucinous carcinoma (MC) is a rare entity and represent about 2% to 5% of breast cancers.[2,3] MC usually. Correspondence: Fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) of mucinous carcinoma shows abundant extracellular mucin, three Case # FNAC diagnosis. Mixed mucinous-ductal carcinoma Mixed cribriform carcinoma & invasive ductal carcinoma. Mixed mucinous-ductal carcinoma Mixed MC-IDC Grade Tumor size 3x3 cm. Pure mucinous carcinoma is a rare histologic type of mammary neoplasm and may exist as mixed mucinous-ductal carcinoma. This study aims to describe fine needle aspiration cytology features of mucinous carcinoma of breast diagnosed in Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital, Nepal over the period of 2 years and to correlate with histological findings

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Methods

Results

Discussion

Conclusion