The diagnostic impact of needle aspiration cytology of the breast on clinical decision making with an emphasis on the aspiration cytodiagnosis of male breast masses

Abstract

Our experience with a total of 7,231 needle aspirates of the breast was reviewed. Ninety-nine cases from the total of 7,231 aspirates studied were from male patients. While an aspiration cytodiagnosis of gynecomastia was made in most of these cases, carcinoma was diagnosed in four cases. Although a clinical distinction between male breast cancer and gynecomastia is often difficult, we found needle aspiration cytology a very useful initial investigation for making this distinction.

Is Cytology Useful in the Diagnostic Workup of Male Breast Lesions?

“…Although the incidence of male breast carcinomas is increasing, it still remains a very rare condition as compared to the incidence in females. [3][4][5][6][7][8][9]11 In our study 10.2% of all male breast FNAs were primary malignant tumors; one lesion was metastatic. The complete sensitivity and the specificity of FNA as compared to the definitive resection diagnosis were 100% and 90.2%, respectively.…”

“…In all large cytologic studies of breast lesions, FNA on the male breast constitutes 1.54-3% of the total cases. [3][4][5][6][7][8][9] The majority of male breast lesions turned out to be benign. Although the incidence of male breast carcinomas is increasing, it still remains a very rare condition as compared to the incidence in females.…”

“…[3][4][5][6][7][8][9] In this study we looked at the possible diagnostic problems that cytology can yield in male breast lesions and how to deal with them. In this regard, we focused on the proportion of nondiagnostic and atypical FNAs as both items preclude proper decision making.…”

Apocrine Metaplasia in Gynecomastia by Fine Needle Aspiration as a Possible Indicator of Anabolic Steroid Use

“…4,7 In most instances the cytologic diagnosis of unilateral and bilateral lesions is most frequently gynecomastia. The cytologic features of gynecomastia have been cogently delineated by Russin et al 7 and consist of three primary features, including moderately cohesive groups or sheets of bland cells, bipolar naked nuclei and single, tall columnar cells.…”

Subareolar Abscess of the Breast in a Male

“…2,3,6,11,16 In the few series of cases studied by FNA biopsy, gynecomastia was the most common cause of benign masses in the male breast, and other benign conditions were very rare. 1,4,[7][8][9][10]13,17 On review of the literature on the breast in males, we found only one "abscess" diagnosed by FNA biopsy, although the cytologic features are not described. 7 In this paper we report two cases of subareolar abscess (SA) of the male breast diagnosed by FNA biopsy.…”