Expanded role of cytopathology in breast cancer diagnosis, therapy and research: the impact of fine needle aspiration biopsy and imprint cytology

Application of Returned Cell Block Method (Cell Block from a Papanicolaou Staining Smear on a Glass Slide) for the Evaluation of Fine Needle Aspiration Cytology of Tumors of the Breast

BACKGROUND

In the fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) for tumors of the breast, evaluation is frequently difficult because of the thick-layered cell clusters and blood inclusion. Such problems may be resolved by the returned cell block method, but its use has not spread worldwide. Here, we examined the application of the returned cell block method to cases involving difficulty in the evaluation of FNAC to diagnose tumors of the breast.

METHODS

In Juntendo University Nerima Hospital, there were 22 cases which were difficult to diagnose by Papanicolaou stain only, and they underwent additional examination using the returned cell block method (cell block from a Papanicolaou staining smear on a glass slide). The usefulness of the returned cell block method in these cases was examined.

RESULTS

Among the 22 cases, a correct diagnosis was facilitated in 20 cases using the returned cell block method. In 16 of the 20 cases, the difficulty in FNAC was because of thick-layered cell clusters (12 cases) and blood inclusion (four cases). Among the 12 cases with difficulty because of the thick-layered cell clusters, 10 cases (83%) comprised intraductal papilloma (six cases) and intraductal papillary carcinoma (four cases). Papilloma and papillary carcinoma were correctly diagnosed by the addition of histological images and immunostaining of myoepithelial cells using the returned cell block method.

CONCLUSION

The application of the returned cell block method is useful for precise evaluation of the cytological diagnosis of tumors of the breast, especially papillary lesions. Diagn. Cytopathol. 2016;44:505-511. © 2016 The Authors Diagnostic Cytopathology Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Fine-needle aspiration cytology can play a role in neoadjuvant chemotherapy in operable breast cancer

Despite the fact that CNB has been progressively replaced by FNAC in the investigation of nonpalpable lesions or microcalcifications without a clinical or radiological mass lesion, FNAC has yet a role in palpable lesions provided it is associated with the triple diagnosis and experienced cytologist. In these conditions, FNAC is a safe, effective, economical, and accurate technique for breast cancer evaluation. Numerous literature reviews and meta-analyses illustrated the advantages and disadvantages of both methods CNB and FNAC. The difference does not seem significant when noninformative and unsatisfactory FNAC was excluded. Recently, cytological methods using liquid-based cytology (LBC) technology improve immunocytological and molecular tests with the same efficiency as classical immunohistochemistry. The indications of FNAC were, for palpable lesions, relative contraindication of CNB (elderly or frailty), staging of multiple nodules in conjunction or not with CNB, staging of lymph node status, newly appearing lesion in patient under neoadjuvant treatment, decreasing of anxiety with a rapid diagnosis, evaluation of biomarkers and new biomarkers, and chronological evaluation of biomarker following the neoadjuvant therapy response.