Fine‐needle aspiration cytology of cystic hypersecretory ductal carcinoma in situ of the breast: A case report

Abstract

Cystic hypersecretory intraductal carcinoma is an unusual, cystic form of intraductal breast carcinoma affecting middle-aged women. Cytopathologists have rarely encountered this lesion, with only 2 other cases having been previously reported (Colandrea et al., Arch Pathol Lab Med 1988;112:560–563; Kim et al., Acta Cytol 1997;41:892–896). In our case, the cytologic findings of both air-dried, Diff-Quik-stained and ethanol-fixed, Papanicolaou-stained smears are presented. The cytologic hallmarks of this entity include the presence of a few scattered epithelial cells with bland nuclear morphology in a background of extensive, amorphous, pink-staining material. Cytomorphologically, the differential diagnosis includes other entities containing pink-staining material such as colloid carcinoma, mucocele-like lesion of the breast, and benign fibrocystic change. Diagn. Cytopathol. 1999;20:160–163. © 1999 Wiley-Liss, Inc.