Primary amyloid tumor of the breast. Case report and literature review.

An example of localized amyloid deposition in the breast of an elderly woman is reported. Fine needle aspiration biopsy yielded clumps of amorphous material, which stained violet with the May-Grünwald-Giemsa technique. The amyloid appeared to be of the AA type on histochemical analysis. The lesion was clinically associated, probably coincidentally, with a stage II carcinoma of the cervix. The nature and classification of amyloid is briefly reviewed, and the role of fine needle aspiration cytology in its diagnosis is discussed.