Smear shows many papillary and clusters of malignant epithelial looking cells with hyperchromatic nuclei exhibiting moderate anaplasia. Some cells shows intracytoplasmic vacuoles. Background shows a moderate number of mature small lymphocytes and neutrophils with reactive mesothelial cells. According to The International System for Reporting Serous Fluid Cytology (ISRSFC); this is Category V.
Known history of metastatic breast cancer presented with a cough, dyspnea, and bicytopenia, and has been diagnosed with bronchopneumonia and a right pleural effusion requiring diagnostic and therapeutic thoracocentesis.
One smear was prepared and stained from submitted 10 ml yellowish fluid.
Pleural fluid, cytology: