title: Multinucleate Giant Cells in FNAC of Benign Breast Lesions: Its Significance.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Multinucleate giant cells are described in breast aspirates. However, due to its rarity very few cases have been described cytologically. Hence recognition and correct interpretation of their presence is difficult, yet crucial for accurate diagnosis.
  
  
  METHODS
  The prospective study of FNAC (fine needle aspirate cytology) of breast lumps was conducted for a period of six months. Direct smears were prepared from the material aspirated. In case of fluid aspirates, centrifuge done and cell sediment was used for making smears. Smears were alcohol fixed and stained with PAP/H&E or air dried smears were stained with Leishman stain. Further smears were subjected to immunocytochemistry using vimentin and CD34 markers to know the origin of multinucleate giant cells.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We have reported 11 cases of breast lesions, which showed multinucleate giant cells on FNAC. Out of the 11 cases, Cytologically six cases showed granuloma debris with relative proportion of epithelioid histiocytes, lymphocytes, neutrophils and multinucleate giant cells. Two cases were diagnosed as acute suppurative granulomatous mastitis. Two cases of fibroadenoma and one case of fat necrosis showed multinucleate giant cells. Immunocytochemistry showed vimentin positivity in both stromal and histiocytic type of multinucleate giant cells and in isolated histiocytes. CD34 was focally positive in histiocytic type of giant cells.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  An effort is made to distinguish between the stromal and histiocytic type giant cells in non-neoplastic breast lesions. Further molecular studies have to be done to know the exact histogenesis and role of these multinucleate giant cells in benign lesions.
authors: Assistant Professor, Department of Pathology, ESIC-PGIMSR , Rajajinagar, Bangalore, Karnataka, India .
authors: Seema
authors: S
authors: V
authors: Associate Professor, Department of Pathology, ESIC-PGIMSR , Rajajinagar, Bangalore, Karnataka, India .
authors: Kalyani
authors: K
authors: R
authors: Head of the Department, Department of Pathology, ESIC-PGIMSR , Rajajinagar, Bangalore, Karnataka, India .
authors: Srinivasa
authors: S
authors: Murthy V
keywords: Breast lesions; Epethelioid histiocytes; Multinucleate giant cells
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