Diagnostic utility of arborizing stromal meshwork fragments in mucinous tumors

Abstract

These data show that ASMFs may be encountered in some (14%) cases of adenocarcinoma with mucinous differentiation. When present, ASMFs can be diagnostically helpful to differentiate adenocarcinoma with mucinous features from contaminating mucus, if reliably distinguished from mimics. Diagn. Cytopathol. 2016;44:805-810. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Fine needle aspiration cytology of primary cutaneous mucinous carcinoma of axilla‐report of a rare case

“…4 FNAC is the first line investigation in the diagnosis of axillary masses, but the cytological diagnosis of primary cutaneous mucinous carcinoma is difficult in this location, because it mimics metastatic mucinous 1,4 Presence of the large arborising stromal fragments is a useful clue to the presence of a mucinous carcinoma and allows the differentiation of the neoplastic mucus from contaminating mucin. 8 These cytological features are indistinguishable from those of primary mucinous breast carcinoma of axillary tail of breast and metastatic mucinous carcinoma of axillary lymph node. The most important differential diagnostic considerations are metastatic mucinous carcinoma of breast and gastrointestinal tract and endocrine mucin producing sweat gland carcinoma.…”

“…The neoplastic cells have moderate cytoplasm, round to oval nuclei with mild pleomorphism and conspicuous nucleoli . Presence of the large arborising stromal fragments is a useful clue to the presence of a mucinous carcinoma and allows the differentiation of the neoplastic mucus from contaminating mucin . These cytological features are indistinguishable from those of primary mucinous breast carcinoma of axillary tail of breast and metastatic mucinous carcinoma of axillary lymph node.…”