Non-gynaecological Cytology
Breast cytology
Anatomy and histology of the breast
Nipple discharge cytology
Fine needle aspiration (FNA)
Reporting terminology
Evaluation of the specimen
Benign lesions
Breast carcinoma
Phyllodes tumor

 

Papilloma

Solitary intraductal papillomata occur most often in women from 50 to 60 years of age. Patients often do not have a palpable mass, but rather present with a serous or bloody nipple discharge.

Aspiration of a papilloma shows tight clusters and three-dimensional groups of epithelial cells, possibly in a papillary arrangement, which is more obvious in cell block preparations. Individually scattered columnar-shaped cells and spindle-shaped stromal cells can occasionally be present.

Surgical excision is always advised for the differential diagnosis with well-differentiated papillary carcinoma. Fibroadenoma is also included in the differential diagnosis, when smears from papillomata show a branching epithelial pattern.

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