title: Primary osteogenic sarcoma of the breast: cytomorphologic study of 3 cases with histologic correlation.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Primary osteogenic sarcomas of the breast are extremely rare neoplasms. The histologic and cytologic features are comparable to those of their soft tissue and skeletal counterparts. To assess the utility of fine needle aspiration (FNA) in preoperative identification of osteogenic sarcomas, we retrospectively reviewed the FNA findings of 3 cases diagnosed in our hospital over 2 1/2 years.
  
  
  METHODS
  Three women, aged 48, 55 and 76 years, presented with a palpable lump of a few months' duration in their breasts. FNA was indicative of malignancy, and mastectomy with ipsilateral axillary lymph node dissection was performed. The cytologic features were of hypocellular or hypercellular smears with pleomorphic cells; scarce or abundant metachromatic amorphous material, suggestive of osteoid; osteoclast-like giant cells; and stromal fragments.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Although cytologic features can be suggestive of osteosarcoma in the appropriate clinical setting, prompt preoperative diagnosis of malignancy in FNA samples of these tumors can avoid undertreatment, because mammographic and clinical findings are in many cases confused with the features of a benign lesion, more specifically calcified fibroadenoma.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Metaxas Memorial Cancer Hospital, Piraeus, Greece. cvalavanis@netscape.net
authors.forename: Helen
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Trihia
authors.forename: Christos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Valavanis
authors.forename: Sophia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Markidou
authors.forename: Demos
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Condylis
authors.forename: Elvira
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Poulianou
authors.forename: Petroula
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Arapantoni-Dadioti
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D044963:Biopsy, Fine-Needle; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D017809:Fatal Outcome; D005260:Female; D015726:Giant Cells / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008875:Middle Aged; D012516:Osteosarcoma / Q000473:pathology*