[Cytopathology in the diagnosis of benign breast lesions]

In this review dealing with cytologic features of non-malignant diseases of the breast, authors try to correlate cytopathologic findings with clinical condition. Five different clinical presentations are recognized: cystic nodule, solid nodule, not palpable lesions, spontaneous secretion, mastitis. An overview of literature data is provided by authors who emphasize either reliability or specificity of cytopathological methodologies. Furthermore, they conclude that along with clinico-radiologic diagnostic procedures, cytology represents a mainstay for prognostic assessment and presurgical evaluation of breast lesions.