Primary breast actinomyces simulating malignancy: A case diagnosed by fine-needle aspiration cytology

Abstract

We report a case of primary actinomycosis of breast diagnosed by fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) in a postmenopausal lady who presented with a clinical impression of malignancy. Resolution of infection while conserving the breast was achieved by timely diagnosis and effective antibiotic therapy. The literature reports that primary actinomycosis of the breast is very rare after menopause, with only very few cases found after extensive search. It is imperative that this condition should be considered in the differential diagnosis of malignancy. The effectiveness of cell block sections in the final diagnosis is also highlighted.

Keywords

• Breast mass; FNAC; postmenopausal woman; primary actinomycosis