Benign Breast Aspirate  vs. Malignant Breast Aspirate

 

 

Uploaded: 2007-08-12,  Updated: 2007-08-12

 

 

Benign Breast Aspirate

Malignant Breast Aspirate

Cellularity

Usually low

 Usually high

Cells

Variable within limits, dual or more population

 Uniform or obvious atypia, single population
Patterns Cohesive orderly clusters/sheets, few single cells Loose disorderly clusters/glands, many single cells

Pleomorphism

 Usually little May be prominent
Nuclei Usually small (<2RBCs) Usually large (>2RBCs)
Nuclear Membrane Smooth, thin and regular Thick, irregular
Chromatin

Fine, even

 Usually coarse, dark and irregular
Nucleoli Usually inconspicuous Often prominent
ICLs None Present
Sentinel Nuclei Naked, bipolar, dark and small Usually absent
Background Usually clean Usually necrotic

 

Reference
 

  • The art and science of cytopathology. Richard M Demay, MD. 1996
  Summarized by Zenggang Pan, MD, PhD