2004 Volume 43 Issue 6 Pages 386-389
Background: Since breast carcinomas with neuroendocrine differentiation include carcinomas of different histologic types, their cytological features have not been fully established. We report cytological findings of neuroendocrine carcinoma of the breast with carcinoid-like structures.
Case: A 64-year-old woman was admitted for a right breast mass. A fine needle aspiration cytology specimen revealed many cell clusters of varying sizes and scattered isolated cells. Tumor cells were columnar or spindle-shaped and had spindleshaped or elliptical nuclei, granular chromatin, and small to moderate amounts of cytoplasm. Palisading and streaming arrangements of tumor cells were characteristic. Histologically, tumor cells proliferated with nesting, ribbon-like, trabecular, and tubular patterns, resembling a carcinoid tumor. Tumor cells showed argyrophilia with the Grimelius technique. Immunohistochemically, tumor cells were positive for chromogranin A and synaptophysin.
Conclusion: When clusters with palisading or streaming arrangement of columnar or spindle-shaped cells with spindleshaped or elliptical nuclei are observed on an aspiration cytology specimen of the breast, neuroendocrine carcinoma with carcinoid-like structures should be considered in the differential diagnosis.
