BREAST CYTOPATHOLOGY

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Non-neoplastic and
Proliferative Lesions
Mastitis, Breast Abscess
In inflammatory conditions such as mastitis and abscess formation,
surgery can be avoided by the use of fine-needle
aspiration (FNA). In conjunction with microbiologic studies
of the aspirated material, FNA can provide valuable information
about the etiology of an inflammatory condition of the
breast (lactation, infection, or trauma). Fine-needle aspiration
can also serve as a therapeutic modality when evacuating
abscess material or cyst contents.
Clinical Features
• Mastitis often presents as a palpable breast lesion with
varying degrees of pain and tenderness.
• Acute suppurative mastitis is typically seen in 1%–3% of
lactating women in the postpartum period.
• The most common organisms are staphylococci and
streptococci.
• Localized infection often results in an abscess and rarely
leads to chronic mastitis with periductal inflammation, duct
ectasia, fibrohistiocytic reaction, and mononuclear chronic
inflammatory infiltrate.
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