Role of Fine Needle Aspiration in The Diagnosis of Metaplastic Carcinoma of Breast

  • Sreerekha Jinkala Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research (JIPMER)
  • Siddaraju Neelaiah Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research (JIPMER)
  • Bhawana A Badhe Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research (JIPMER)
DOI: https://doi.org/10.21276/apalm.1768
Keywords: Metaplastic carcinoma, breast, fine needle aspiration, epithelial, mesenchymal, spindle cells

Abstract

Metaplastic carcinomas of breast are rare primary malignant tumors of breast with high rate of recurrences and metastasis. It poses diagnostic difficulties in histopathology as well as in cytopathology because of its varied morphological features. We present a case of a 54 year old woman diagnosed as metaplastic carcinoma of breast by fine needle aspiration and subsequently by histopathology. Our case shows  predominantly mesenchymal components like spindle shaped cells, chondroid matrix material and numerous osteoclastic giant cells  along with a scanty malignant epithelial component, which was better appreciated on the FNA material , by which a definitive diagnosis of metaplastic carcinoma of breast was possible on FNA. The epithelial component was underrepresented in the subsequent trucut biopsy, thus emphasizing the adjuvant role of FNA in diagnosing these tumors. In this report we discuss the challenges involved in diagnosing metaplastic carcinoma of breast on FNA.

Author Biographies

Sreerekha Jinkala, Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research (JIPMER)
Assistant Professor, Department of Pathology, JIPMER, Puducherry
Siddaraju Neelaiah, Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research (JIPMER)
Department of Pathology
Bhawana A Badhe, Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research (JIPMER)
Department of Pathology

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Published
2018-07-16
Issue
Vol 5 No 7 (2018)
Section
Case Report

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