Unusual Variants of Fibroadenoma Breast

Abstract

UNUSUAL VARIANTS OF FIBROADENOMA BREAST DIAGNOSED ON CYTOLOGYFibroadenomas are common benign breast tumours that display a characteristic morphology, although several epithelial and stromal variations exist which may pose a diagnostic difficulty. We are discussing a case series of four cases of benign fibroadenoma with morphological variations as observed on cytology smears in the department of Pathology, KGMU, Lucknow, UP. Juvenile fibroadenoma constitutes only 4% of the total fibroadenomas with incidence of 0.5% per year.Another very rare histological finding is the presence of multinucleated giant cells throughout the stroma of a benign fibroadenoma, more commonly found incidentally within the interlobular stroma of breast tissue. Similarly apocrine metaplasia has been found to be 28% in a case series (Arno Kuijper et.al) of 396 cases of fibroadenoma.It is important to identify these variants as they may be misinterpreted as malignancy.

Cystic fibroadenoma: Report of a rare case with review of literature

“…However the dimensions of the cysts are not more than 3 mm and the lesions are poorly circumscribed. In our case the nodule was well circumscribed and the cysts measured more than 3 mm in diameter [4].…”

“…In another study involving 396 cases of fibroadenoma, 28.0% cases showed complex features characterized by apocrine metaplasia [4]. They occur in slightly elderly age group when compared to simple fibroadenomas [1][2][3][4][5].…”

“…Histopathologically complex fibroadenomas are well defined lesions showing areas of simple fibroadenoma characterized by proliferation of epithelial and stromal elements in either intra canalicular or pericanalicular pattern, myxoid change in the stroma along with one or more of the following features like sclerosing adenosis, papillary apocrine metaplasia, epithelial calcifications or cysts greater than 3 mm in diameter [1][2][3][4].…”