Fine‐needle aspiration cytology of a subareolar abscess of the male breast

We report on the fine‐needle aspiration (FNA) cytology of a subareolar abscess of the breast in a 45‐yr‐old man. The patient presented with a 1.5‐cm mass in the subareolar region. FNA cytology demonstrated the presence of numerous anucleated squamous cells and a few small nucleated squamous cells as well as numerous neutrophils and some lymphocytes in the background. Histiocytes were also present, including some multinucleated foreign‐body‐type giant cells. No organisms were identified either with special stains or microbiologic cultures. The differential diagnosis of FNA of the male breast is presented, along with other lesions that can potentially contain either benign or malignant squamous cells in the aspirate. The correct FNA diagnosis of this unusual benign lesion involving the male breast should lead to the appropriate treatment. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first published report of FNA cytology of a subareolar abscess of the male breast. Diagn. Cytopathol. 1998;18:441–444. © 1998 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.