Cytological Features of the Large Cell Variant of Small Cell Ovarian Carcinoma in Young Patients with Hypercalcemia: Histological Findings and Review of the Literature.

OBJECTIVE: To present the cytological features of a very rare and lethal ovarian neoplasm occurring in the young. STUDY DESIGN: We reviewed the cytological findings as they presented in touch imprints obtained from an ovarian mass sent to our department for frozen section investigation. RESULTS: Smears were highly cellular. The cells were of intermediate size with a moderate amount of microvacuolated, pale, or eosinophilic cytoplasm with indistinct cell borders. The nuclei were of round or oval shape with mild to moderate atypia and indistinct nucleoli. CONCLUSIONS: The diagnosis of small cell carcinoma of the ovary can be challenging even histologically. Cytology can be an invaluable adjunct to hematoxylin-eosin sections both pre- or intraoperatively. Although it is a very rare occurrence and cytological results are almost absent in the literature, our case can make cytopathologists more acquainted with the cytological features of this rare tumor entity especially in association with a characteristic clinical profile. Furthermore, the cytological features of small cell carcinoma of the ovary, large cell variant, have only rarely been described in the literature.

Malignant Myoepithelioma of the Breast Clinically and Histologically Masquerading as Angiosarcoma: Cytological Findings and Review of the Literature.

BACKGROUND: Malignant myoepithelioma of the breast is an exceptionally rare, aggressive tumor with a diverse morphology, the cytological features of which have only occasionally been described. CASE REPORT: Our case comprises a 74-year-old woman who was admitted to our hospital with an erythematous, inflammatory-like mass of her left breast with nipple ulceration, and clinically fixed to the chest wall. The woman underwent fine-needle aspiration and biopsy. The aspirates consisted mainly of loose aggregates of large, highly pleomorphic, polygonal epithelioid cells as well as aggregates of spindle cells with prominent, easily detectable mitoses and single, multinucleated pleomorphic giant cells. The cytological diagnosis was consistent with high-grade malignancy. Histologically, the lesion consisted broadly of eosinophilic epithelioid cells with globoid cytoplasm in a reticulated, angiomatoid pattern and of spindle (sarcomatoid) cells in a storiform pattern, highly suspicious of angiosarcoma. A final diagnosis of malignant myoepithelioma was made. CONCLUSION: We present the cytological findings in comparison with the unusual histological features of a malignant myoepithelioma of the breast. A high degree of suspicion with a keen eye for morphological details coupled with relevant immunohistochemistry will aid in arriving at the correct diagnosis.

Solid variant of aneurysmal bone cyst of the heel: a case report.

INTRODUCTION: An aneurysmal bone cyst is a benign but often rapidly expanding osteolytic multi-cystic osseous lesion that occurs as a primary, secondary, intra-osseous, extra-osseous, solid or conventional lesion. It frequently coexists with other benign and malignant bone tumors. Although it is considered to be reactive in nature, there is evidence that some aneurysmal bone cysts are true neoplasms. The solid variant of aneurysmal bone cyst is a rare subtype of aneurysmal bone cyst with a preponderance of solid to cystic elements. Such a case affecting the heel, an unusual site, is reported. CASE PRESENTATION: A 26-year-old Caucasian man presented with pain and swelling in his left lower extremity. A plain radiograph demonstrated an intra-osseous, solitary, eccentric mass in the front portion of the left heel. Computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging scans showed that the lesion appeared to be sub-cortical, solid with a small cystic portion without the characteristic fluid-fluid level detection but with distinct internal septation. Bone images containing fluid-fluid levels are usually produced by aneurysmal bone cysts. The fluid-fluid level due to bleeding within the tumor followed by layering of the blood components based density differences, but it was not seen in our case. An intra-lesional excision was performed. Microscopic examination revealed fibrous septa with spindle cell fibroblastic proliferation, capillaries and extensive areas of mature osteoid and reactive woven bone formation rimmed by osteoblasts. The spindle cells had low mitotic activity, and atypical forms were absent. The histological features of the lesion were consistent with the solid variant of an aneurysmal bone cyst. CONCLUSION: Solid aneurysmal bone cysts have been of great interest to pathologists because they may be mistaken for malignant tumors, mainly in cases of giant cell tumors or osteosarcomas, because of cellularity and variable mitotic activity. It is rather obvious that the correlation of clinical, radiological and histological findings is necessary for the differential diagnosis. The eventual diagnosis is based on microscopic evidence and is made when a predominance of solid to cystic elements is found. The present case is of great interest because of the nature of the neoplasm and the extremely unusual location in which it developed. Pathologists must be alert for such a diagnosis.

Diagnostic accuracy of prehysterectomy curettage in determining tumor type and grade in patients with endometrial cancer.

OBJECTIVES: We sought to determine the reliability of tumor typing and grading at the prehysterectomy curettage biopsy in patients with endometrial carcinoma. We also wanted to evaluate the overall rate of false-negative diagnosis in the detection of the disease. METHODS: The final pathologic reports of 263 patients whose diagnosis was endometrial carcinoma were compared with their prehysterectomy curettage reports. We searched for discrepancies between the 2 diagnoses. We also evaluated whether discrepancies varied with respect to the histologic type and tumor grade (endometrioid vs aggressive variant tumours). RESULTS: Although the statistical analysis predicted accuracy rates of DC diagnosis that exceeded 90%, the true figures proved to be more limited. DC pathology accurately predicted the final histologic result in 67.3% (177/263) of patients and the final tumor grade in 55.5% (146/263). Regarding the latter, we found 37.3% (98/263) of patients with undergraded tumors and 7.2% (19/263) with overgraded ones. The histologic type of the carcinoma crucially affected the diagnostic reliability of DC. Nevertheless, the overall false-negative rate in establishing the diagnosis of carcinoma was 7.6% (20/263). CONCLUSIONS: DC is a reliable procedure for establishing the diagnosis of endometrial cancer. Its capability to correctly characterize the final histologic type varies significantly but is satisfactory overall and captures approximately three quarters of the patients; however, the procedure significantly underestimates tumor grade. The limitations of DC are due to the blindness of the sampling procedure.