The cytology of micropapillary variant of colloid carcinoma of breast: A report of two cases

Abstract

Colloid carcinoma (pure mucinous carcinoma) is an uncommon variant of breast carcinoma with distinctive cytological and histological features. These tumors are characterised by islands of tumor cells floating in a sea of abundant extracellular mucin. We present the cytology of two cases of colloid carcinoma occurring in 80-year-old and 45-year-old females. The fine-needle aspiration cytology helps to subcategorize the tumor type, thereby enhancing the knowledge about the distinctive cytological features of special and uncommon variants of breast carcinoma, their course and prognosis. A distinctive micropapillary variant of pure mucinous carcinoma which is rarely described, is represented in one of the cases. Also we report, here, colloid carcinoma in a female of reproductive age, a relatively uncommon occurrence.

Keywords

• Colloid carcinoma; fine-needle aspiration cytology; micropapillary variant; pure mucinous carcinoma