• The Korean Journal of Cytopathology
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.46-50
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• 2006

A micropapillary variant of urothelial carcinoma (MPC) is a distinct entity with an aggressive clinical course. It has a micropapillary configuration resembling that of ovarian papillary serous carcinoma. Its cytologic features have rarely been reported. We report a case of MPC detected by urine cytology. A woman aged 93 years presented with a chief complaint of macroscopic hematuria. Cytology of her voided urine showed clusters of malignant cells in a micropapillary configuration. Each tumor cell had a vacuolated cytoplasm, a high nuclear:cytoplasmic ratio, and irregular hyperchromatic nuclei. An ureteroscopic examination revealed exophytic sessile papillary masses extending from the left lateral wall to the anterolateral wall of the urinary bladder. A transurethral resection of the tumor was carried out. The tumor was characterized by delicate papillae with a thin, well-developed fibrovascular stromal core and numerous secondary micropapillae lined with small cuboidal cells containing uniform low- to intermediate-grade nuclei and occasional intracytoplasmic mucinous inclusions. These tumor cells infiltrated the muscle layers of the bladder, and lymphatic tumor emboli were frequently seen. Recognizing that the presence of MPC components in urinary cytology is important for distinguishing this lesion from low-grade papillary lesions and high-grade urothelial carcinomas can result in early detection and earlier treatment for an improved treatment outcome.

• The Korean Journal of Cytopathology
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.106-111
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• 2004

Invasive micropapillary carcinoma (IMPCa) is a rare variant of invasive ductal carcinoma of the breast. This variant is associated with a set of peculiar cytological findings and aggressive biological behaviors. In most reported cases, IMPCa has involved massive axillary lymph node metastases at the time of diagnosis. We experienced four cases of cytological features of IMPCa, all of which were verified by histological examination. Fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) revealed malignant epithelial cells, which formed small, oval to angulated papillary clusters, which lacked central fibrovascular cores. The histological findings of the four cases revealed both pure and mixed forms of IMPCa, composed of cohesive malignant epithelial cells, surrounded by distinctive clear spaces and separated by thin fibrous septa. All patients evidenced axillary lymph node metastases at the time of diagnosis. It is important to identify the peculiar cytological findings which would differentiate IMPCa from other diseases.

• The Korean Journal of Cytopathology
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.62-68
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• 2007

Invasive micropapillary carcinoma (IMPC) of the breast is recently described rare variant of invasive ductal carcinoma. This variant has a distinctive histological features and aggressive biological behavior. We reviewed the cytologic features of eight cases of IMPC. The cytologic smears showed moderate to high cellularity and the tumor tissue was composed of atypical, angulated, cohesive clusters of neoplastic cells with a papillary to tubuloalveolar architecture, and a morular growth pattern without fibrovascular cores was seen on the histopathology. IMPC of the breast has distinctive cytologic features and it is important to make an early diagnosis via fine needle aspiration cytology due to this tumor's aggressive behavior.