Fine Needle Aspiration Cytology for Secretory Carcinoma of the Breast in a Female Adult: A Case Report / 대한세포병리학회지

ABSTRACT

Secretory carcinoma of the breast is a rare tumor of the ductal origin with a more favorable prognosis than the conventional ductal carcinoma. To the best of our knowledge, there are a few reports on fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) of secretory carcinoma in the English literature and one in the Korean literature. Recently, we experienced a case of secretory carcinoma of the breast performed by FNAC. The cytologic smears revealed several clusters and sheets of cohesive neoplastic cells in eosinophilic secretory background. Individually scattered cells were rarely found. Intracytoplasmic vacuolization and occasional signet ring cells with lacy cytoplasm were detected. To make the diagnosis and differentiation of this rare tumor, an identification of the secretory background and microcystic spaces filled with bluish mucin and occasional nuclear atypism of tumor cells is crucial.