1995 Volume 34 Issue 4 Pages 680-686
A case of signet-ring cell carcinoma originating in the BD area of the right breast of a 71 year-old woman is reported with the results of cytomorphology, mucinous stains and immunohistochemistry.
The tumor, measuring 19.0×13.0 cm in greatest dimension with indistinct margins, was histopathologically composed of signet-ring type cells, with infiltration into fibrous adipose tissue. A few sections revealed the presence of invasive lobular carcinoma with an indianfile arrangement, foci of intraductal carcinoma, and a mucinous component.
Cytologically, the tumor cells appeared mainly as single cell, with foamy cytoplasms which were faintly orange to reddish on Pap. stain. The nuclei were oval, and nuclear chromatin showed a coarsely granular pattern, which was evenly distributed, with prominent nucleoli, usually displaced to one side. There was no extra cellular mucin in the background. The foamy cytoplasms showed strong positively staining with PAS and pH 2.5 AB reactions. In addition, a small number of cells reacted by turning black in colar with HID-AB staining. The results obtained with these stains showed that the signet-ring cells contained both sialo-and sulfomucins in the cytoplasm.
Immunohistochemically, the signet-ring cells were positively stained for GCDFP-15, EMA, and CEA antibodies.
