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An unusual presentation of fine needle aspiration (FNA) cytology from the syncytial variant of nodular sclerosing Hodgkin's disease
Author(s) -
Stephen M. R.,
Mallon E. A.
Publication year - 1998
Publication title -
cytopathology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.512
H-Index - 48
eISSN - 1365-2303
pISSN - 0956-5507
DOI - 10.1046/j.1365-2303.1998.00091.x
Subject(s) - medicine , fine needle aspiration , fibroadenoma , disease , biopsy , fine needle aspiration cytology , lymph node , presentation (obstetrics) , dermatology , pathology , radiology , breast cancer , cancer
Open access breast clinics are now widely available and immediate reporting of FNAs of the breast has become an established part of the triple approach to the management of breast disease 1 . We report the unexpected findings of a case of Hodgkin's disease at such a clinic. The patient was a young woman who initially was thought by both her general practitioner and surgeon to have a fibroadenoma in the axillary tail region of her right breast. The FNA of this lump showed the features of Hodgkin's disease but with widespread necrosis, which was unusual and potentially misleading and which we wish to highlight. A lymph node biopsy confirmed the diagnosis and showed that the patient was suffering from the syncytial variant of nodular sclerosing Hodgkin's disease (NSHD). This variant probably accounts for about 5% of cases of Hodgkin's disease 2 . Necrosis is a common feature of NSHD; it can range from minute scattered foci to more extensive necrosis of nodules or even involve the entire lymph node.