title: Cytologic findings from a nipple discharge in an infant with premature telarche.
abstract: Premature telarche is a condition of isolated unilateral or bilateral breast development without additional signs of sexual maturation in girls primarily under 2 yr of age presumably occurring as a response to hormonal stimulation by estrogens. Prior reports concerning pathologic findings in premature telarche have been scarce. We report the cytologic findings from a nipple discharge in a 10-mo-old girl with unilateral breast enlargement due to premature telarche. The discharge showed an increased number of clusters of breast ductal epithelium, with a few in a papillary configuration. There was a moderate degree of nuclear irregularity in the epithelial cells, but no significant nuclear overlapping. No atypical single cells were present, and a rare myoepithelial cell was noted. These cytologic findings are in accord with a prior study describing the histology in three cases of premature telarche.
authors.affiliation: Division of Surgical and Cytopathology, Virginia Commonwealth University/Medical College of Virginia, Richmond, USA.
authors.forename: W E
authors.initials: WE
authors.lastname: Mangano
authors.forename: D E
authors.initials: DE
authors.lastname: Renedo
authors.forename: W J
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Frable
mesh_terms: D001940:Breast / Q000473:pathology; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000473:pathology; D005122:Exudates and Transudates / Q000166:cytology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D009558:Nipples; D011629:Puberty, Precocious / Q000473:pathology*; D014626:Vaginal Smears