Malignant tumors of the breast with stromal multinucleated giant cells are rare entity of uncertain clinical significance. There have been few reports on the fine needle aspiration cytologic(FNAC) findings about these rare tumors. We report a FNAC case of invasive mammary carcinoma with osteoclast-like giant cells not only for its rare occurrence but in particular for its distinctive cytologic picture on aspirated material. The patient was a 40-year-old woman who presented with a right breast mass for one month. Mammography showed a well-demarcated rounded mass density without calcification. The aspirates of FNAC were highly cellular and two main cell types were seen; malignant epithelial cells and osteoclast-like multinucleated giant cells. The carcinoma cells occurred singly or arranged in loose clusters with ill-defined cytoplasm, oval nuclei, coarse chromatin and small but distinct nucleoli. The multinucleated giant cells showed variable number of nuclei with prominent nucleoli and abundant dense oxyphilic cytoplasm.
The immunocytochemical studies suggested that osteoclast-like giant cells were not of epithelial origin, but rather of histiocytic origin.
Osteoclast-like giant cell tumor of the liver is an extremely rare malignancy with poor prognosis. To our knowledge, 5 cases have been reported in English literatures, but there was no report about fine needle aspiration cytologic(FNAC) features. We experienced a case of osteoclast-like giant cell tumor of the liver obtained by computed tomography(CT)-guided FNAC and needle biopsy. The cytologic findings mimicked giant cell tumor of the bone. A large hepatic mass of the left lobe with abdominal wall invasion was found by CT in a 46-year-old female complaining of epigastric pain. The FNAC showed moderately cellular smears consisting of osteoclast-like giant cells and mononuclear cells, which were individually scattered or intermingled in clusters. The osteoclast-like giant cells had abundant cytoplasms and multiple small round nuclei with fine chromatin and distinct nucleoli. The mononuclear cells had moderate amount of cytoplasm and relatively bland-looking oval nuclei with single small nucleoli. All of the cytologic features recapitulated the histologic findings of bland-looking osteoclast-like multinucleated giant cells evenly dispersed throughout the background of mononuclear cell. The immunohistochemical study showed positive reaction for CD68 and vimentin, but negative for cytokeratin in both osteoclast-like giant cells and mononuclear cells.
Multinucleated giant cells of osteoclast-like appearance can be seen in a type of anaplastic carcinoma of thyroid and only a few case reports for fine needle aspiration cytologic findings are found in the literatures. Recently, we experienced a case of anaplastic carcinoma of thyroid with many osteoclast-like giant cells in a 72-year-old woman. The cytologic features and immunohistochemical results are described with special emphasis on differential diagnosis.
Mammary carcinoma with osteoclast-like giant cells is an unusual neoplasm characterized by giant cells, mononuclear stromal cells, and hemorrhage accompanying a low grade carcinoma. We present the cytological findings in a case of invasive ductal carcinoma with osteoclast-like giant cells that was initially confused with a fibroadenoma, due to its well-demarcated and soft mass and the young age of the patient. A 28-year-old female presented with a 4.5 cm, well demarcated, soft and nontender mass in the right breast.
Fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) showed a combination of low grade malignant epithelial cell clusters and osteoclast-like giant cells. The atypical epithelial cells were present in cohesive sheets and clusters. Osteoclast-like giant cells and bland-looking mononuclear cells were scattered. An histological examination revealed the presence of an invasive ductal carcinoma with osteoclast-like giant cells. We report here the cytological findings of this rare carcinoma in a very young woman. The minimal atypia of the epithelial cells and its soft consistency may lead to a false negative diagnosis in a young woman. The recognition that osteoclastlike giant cells are rarely present in a low grade carcinoma, but not in benign lesion, can assist the physician in making a correct diagnosis.