APOCRINE CELLS IN A FINE-NEEDLE ASPIRATE OF GYNECOMASTIA - A CASE-REPORT

BACKGROUND: Apocrine cells are a common finding in female mammary cyst s, while only rare cases of apocrine metaplasia in gynecomastia have b een found in surgical specimens. CASE: A 65-year-old male presented wi th painful, monolateral gynecomastia. Fine needle aspiration biopsy sh owed sheets of large, eosinophilic epithelial cells. On immunocytochem istry these cells were positive for apocrine marker GCDFP-15. The pati ent had ischemic heart disease and was under treatment with spironolac tone. CONCLUSION: Apocrine cysts in gynecomastia are rave histologic f indings, and this is the first case diagnosed by fine needle aspiratio n. The finding of apocrine cells confirms the nonneoplastic nature of the lesion, avoiding surgical excision.