Browse > Article

Two Cases of Invasive Carcinoma of the Breast Composed Mostly of Signet Ring Cells in the Fine Needle Aspiration Cytology  

Lee, Won-Mi (Department of Pathology, Eulji University, School of Medicine)
Kim, Wan-Sup (Department of Pathology, Eulji University, School of Medicine)
Kim, Eun-Kyung (Department of Pathology, Eulji University, School of Medicine)
Joo, Jong-Eun (Department of Pathology, Eulji University, School of Medicine)
Publication Information
The Korean Journal of Cytopathology / v.13, no.2, 2002 , pp. 88-92 More about this Journal
Abstract
Scattered single cells or variable sized clusters of signet ring cells in the aspirated smears of breast lesions are almost exclusively associated with carcinoma. The signet ring cells are defined as those containing a prominent intracytoplasmic vacuole or amorphous cytoplasm diffusely dispersed with mucin. The primary signet ring cell carcinoma of the breast behaves more aggressively than carcinoma without signet ring cells. Therefore, it is very important to make a correct diagnosis of signet ring cell carcinoma. Fine needle aspiration cytology is useful for diagnosis of breast lesions Including signet ring cell carcinoma. We report two cases, which showed mostly signet ring cells in the aspirated smears of the breast. One case consisted of numerous individual signet ring cells and variable sized cell clusters in rather mucoid background. The tumor cells had abundant amorphous cytoplasm filled with dispersed mucin or occasionally mucin vacuoles(PAS +) and eccentric nuclei. The resected mass revealed mucinous carcinoma. The other showed the cytologic findings of low cellularity, and small loosely cohesive signet ring cell clusters with mild nuclear pleomorphism. It was confirmed as lobular signet ring cell carcinoma in the resected tumor.
Keywords
Fine needle aspiration cytology; Signet ring cell; Breast;
Citations & Related Records
연도 인용수 순위
  • Reference
1 Battifora H: Intracytoplasmic lumina in breast carcinoma. Arch Pathol 99:614-617, 1975
2 Harris M, Vasudev KS, Anfield C, Wells S: Mucinproducing carcinomas of the breast: Ultrastructural observations. Histopathology 2:177-188, 1978
3 Eltorky M, Hall C, Osborne PT, Zeky FE: Signet-ring cell variant of invasive lobular carcinoma of the breast. A clinicopathologic study of 11 cases. Arch Pathol Lab Med 118:245-248, 1994
4 Izuishi K, Imoto S, Hasebe T: Signet ring cell carcinoma associated with invasive ductal carcinoma of the breast: A case report. Breast Cancer 6: 223-226, 1999
5 Raju U, Ma CK, Shaw A: Signet ring variant of lobular carcinoma of the breast: A clinicopathologic and immunohistochemical study. Mod Pathol 6:516-520, 1993
6 Al-Hariri JA: Primary signet ring cell carcinoma of the breast. Virchows Arch A Pathol Anat Histol 388:105-111, 1980
7 Frost AR, Terahata S, Yeh IT, Siegel RS, Overmoyer B, Silverberg SG: The significance of signet ring cells in infiltrating lobular carcinoma of the breast. Arch Pathol Lab Med 119:64-68, 1995
8 Steinbrecher JS, Silverberg SG: Signet-ring cell carcinoma of the breast. The mucinous variant of infiltrating lobular carcinoma? Cancer 37:828-840, 1976
9 Merino MJ, Livolsi VA: Signet ring carcinoma of the female breast: A clinicopathologic analysis of 24 cases. Cancer 48: 1830-1837, 1981
10 Sethi S, Cajulis RS, Gokaslan ST, Frias-Hidvegi D, Yu GH: Diagnostic significance of signet ring cells in fine-needle aspirates of the breast. Diagn Cytopathol 16:117-121, 1997
11 Young GP, Somers RG, Young I, Kaplan M, Cowan DF: Experience with a modified fine-needle aspiration biopsy technique in 533 breast cases. Diagn Cytopathol 2:91-98, 1986
12 Dawson AE, Mulford DK: Fine needle aspiration of mucinous (colloid) breast carcinoma: Nuclear grading and mammographic and cytologic findings. Acta Cytol 42:650-656, 1998   DOI   ScienceOn
13 Hull MT, Seo IS, Battersby JS, Csicsko JF: Signet-ring cell carcinoma of the breast: A clinicopathologic study of 24 cases. Am J Clin Pathol 73:31-35, 1980
14 Kondo Y, Akita T, Sugano I, Isono K: Signet ring cell carcinoma of the breast. Acta Pathol Jpn 34:875-880, 1984
15 Kamiya M, Mizuguchi K, Yoshimoto M. et al.: Cytologic diagnosis of signet-ring cell carcinoma of the breast. Acta Cytol 42:650-656, 1998
16 Erlandson RA, Carstens PHB: Ultrastructure of tubular carcinoma of the breast. Cancer 29:987-995, 1972
17 Saphir O: Mucinous carcinoma of the breast. Surg Gynecol Obstet 72:908-914, 1941
18 Fisher ER, Brown R: Intraductal signet ring carcinoma. A hitherto undescribed form of intraductal carcinoma of the breast. Cancer 55:2533-2537, 1985
19 Kline TS: Masquerades of malignancy: A review of 4241 aspirates from the breast. Acta Cytol 25:263-266, 1981
20 Lester JL, Leslie GD: Cytologically low grade malignancies: An important interpretative pitfall responsible for false negative diagnoses in fine-needle aspiration of the breast. Diagn Cytopathol 15:250-259, 1996