Cytopathology of the Breast

This textbook of breast cytology will be of particular interest to cytopathologists, but also to pathology residents, histopathologists, and to cytotechnologists. All changes in the breast are covered in detail, from normal breast to benign lesions, as well as the various types of malignant tumours.

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This book is the culmination of approximately 15 years of experience in breast cytology, which includes the reporting of over 30,000 breast cytology specimens. The cytology of all aspects of the breast is covered, from normal breast with its variations, through benign lesions, both non-neoplastic and neoplastic, to the various types of malignancy, and including male breast. As the primary puropse of any diagnostic procedure on the breast is to detect or rule out malignancy, detailed discussion of breast carcinoma is included. Fine-needle aspiration cytology is dealt with in great detail, from procurement of the specimen to preparation and staining of samples. Reporting categories are discussed in depth, with examples of the types of lesion that may be found in each category. Lavish illustrations in full colour are included for almost all lesions as pictures illustrate cytologic features much more clerly than do verbose descriptions. Knowing the incidence of a particular entity does not necessarily help in its diagnosis, whereas seeing the morpholoigcal features usually leaves a lasting impression. A summary of the cytologic features is included under each topic.
Pitfalls that may be encountered are also elaborated upon. The detection of breast cancer is a multidisciplinary endeavour, therefore mammographic and ultrasound images as well as histologic counterparts of the lesions are included, giving the reader a comprehensive picture of breast disease.