Cytomorphologic features of sebaceous carcinoma on fine needle aspiration.
OBJECTIVE
To describe three cases of sebaceous carcinoma metastatic to regional lymph nodes diagnosed by fine needle aspiration (FNA).


METHODS
FNA was performed using standard techniques. A portion of each specimen was stained with Diff-Quick (Dade, Miami, Florida, U.S.A.); another portion was fixed in 95% ethanol and stained with a modified Papanicolaou stain or fixed in formalin and stained with hematoxylin and eosin.


RESULTS
All carcinomas were moderately cellular, with primarily irregular cell clusters. The cytoplasm was finely reticular and contained variable numbers of small vaculoes. Nuclei were centrally located and pleomorphic and contained coarse chromatin. Variably sized but often large nucleoli were seen. Mitotic figures were easily identified.


CONCLUSIONS
Sebaceous carcinoma is a rare but cytologically distinct neoplasm. It frequently metastasizes to regional lymph nodes and may then appear as a mass amenable to FNA. Aspiration cytologists, particularly those who aspirate head and neck lesions, should be familiar with the distinct features of this neoplasm.
Stern
R C
RC
Department of Pathology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina 27710, USA.
Liu
K
K
Dodd
L G
LG
D000368:Aged; D001707:Biopsy, Needle; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis; D012626:Sebaceous Gland Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology*