FINE-NEEDLE ASPIRATION DIAGNOSIS OF CARCINOMA ARISING IN AN ECTOPIC BREAST - A CASE-REPORT

BACKGROUND: Ectopic breast tissue has been found at many anatomic loca tions. Neoplastic and hyperplastic lesions similar to those that devel op in the normal breast can occur in supernumerary ones. CASE: A 45-ye ar-old female presented with a 30-cm, firm, subcutaneous mass in the l eft side of the chest wall that was clinically considered an ectopic b l east. Fine needle aspiration biopsy showed irregular clusters and si ngle epithelial cells with marked atypia, pleomorphism and occasional magenta bodies. CONCLUSION: This case illustrates that fine needle asp iration biopsy is a rapid and highly specific technique that can be us ed as the first diagnostic step in cases of carcinoma arising in an ec topic breast.