O‐6RESPECTIVE ROLES OF FINE NEEDLE ASPIRATION CYTOLOGY AND CORE BIOPSY IN DIAGNOSIS OF SYMPTOMATIC BREAST LESIONS

Introduction: To evaluate and compare the respective roles of fine needle aspiration cytology and core biopsy for diagnosis of symptomatic breast lesions. Methods: Retrospective study on 589 breast fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) cases and 88 core biopsies (CB) with no associated FNAC, performed between January and December 2004. A computer database was searched for initial results, subsequent investigations and outcomes. Results: Of the cases that had FNAC performed as an initial investigation, the final diagnosis was reached by FNAC alone in 81.8% of cases. Of these, 59.2% were benign, 6.1% malignant and 2.4% remaining suspicious with 14.1% inadequate samples. There were 31 cases reported as suspicious (C3/C4) on FNAC, of these 14% of C3 and all of C4 were malignant on CB. Of the 86 cases that had both FNAC and CB, CB improved on the FNAC diagnosis of malignancy in 19.8% of cases, half of which were considered inadequate on FNAC. The positive predictive value of malignant cases was 100%, and the negative predictive value 98%. The absolute sensitivity of FNAC in this study was 65% and complete sensitivity 72%. The false negative rate was 8% and false positive rate 0%. The diagnosis of 88 CB without FNAC showed 37.5% to be malignant and 60.2% as benign, with 2.3% as inadequate biopsies. Discussion: FNAC remains the first line investigation in symptomatic breast lesions. Its best use is in the diagnosis of benign disease which constitutes over two thirds of patients in our practice. In suspicious and clinically malignant lesions, it is complemented by CB which may provide additional information relevant to management. In conclusion, the majority benign findings in our patients who had CB without prior FNAC, does not justify the use of CB as a first line investigation. CB is indicated in cases of inadequate or suboptimal FNAC. The continuous use of suspicious categories (C3/C4) in breast cytology is justified by the subsequent outcomes, both benign and malignant.     

Thyroid FNAC cytology: can we do it better?

This article reviews recent developments in thyroid fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC). While thyroid nodules are common, carcinoma is comparatively rare. Although histological assessment is used in most studies as the benchmark, the differential diagnosis on cytology or histology is not always reproducible. The literature shows wide variations in criteria for inadequate thyroid FNAC and study inclusion or exclusion criteria. In-clinic assessment of specimen adequacy and in-clinic reporting of thyroid FNAC has become popular although the costs and resource implications of in-clinic thyroid FNAC assessment and reporting are substantial. Many centres continue to use conventional techniques although liquid-based cytology and ultrasound-guided FNAC are gaining in popularity. Standardized categorical systems for FNAC reporting can make results easier to understand for clinicians and give clear indications for therapeutic action. Multidisciplinary case review is also essential, especially when there is diagnostic uncertainty. While currently of limited use, molecular pathology testing holds out some promise for the future.     

Cytology is useful in breast screening: results and long-term follow-up of the Singapore Breast Screening Pilot Project

OBJECTIVE: The Singapore Breast Screening Pilot Project (SBSPP) was embarked upon (1994-1997) to determine if mammography was useful in early breast cancer detection among Asian women. PATIENTS AND MEASUREMENTS: Of 28 231 women screened, fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) was performed in 232 individuals as part of the triple assessment. RESULTS: Absolute and complete sensitivities for the diagnosis of carcinoma were 46.7% and 82.2%, respectively, based on the results of FNAC. Specificity was 63.3%. The inadequate rate was 31%. Five women who were considered cancer-free on triple assessment and, in two cases open diagnostic biopsy during the SBSPP, subsequently developed breast cancer after a median follow-up of 6 years. CONCLUSION: Although our FNAC results compared relatively well with international standards, they reflect a small cohort, and may face additional difficulties in a larger programme.     

A One Year Audit of Fine Needle Aspiration Cytology For the Pre-Operative Diagnosis of Breast Disease

In 1988, 985 patients presenting with breast disease, most with a palpable abnormality, were investigated by the triple approach (clinical examination, imaging and fine needle aspiration cytology [FNAC]). Using FNAC, 28% of patients were diagnosed as having carcinoma, 45% benign disease, 4% had suspicious cytology and 3% equivocal cytology. The remaining 20% had inadequate aspirates. Two false positive diagnoses of carcinoma were made (a false positive rate of 0.7%); one was a case of high grade non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and the other a papillary lesion with epithelial atypia. The false negative rate was 6.4%. Of these 49 patients, six had carcinoma-in-situ and 19 had low grade tumours. The absolute and complete sensitivities for the diagnosis of carcinoma in this series were 84.7% and 91.9% respectively and the absolute and complete specificities 99.7% and 98.3%, respectively. These figures compare favourably with those from other centres and confirm the efficacy of FNAC as part of the triple approach to the diagnosis of breast disease. The use of FNAC has resulted in a reduction in the number of Trucut and frozen section biopsies performed. Eighty three per cent of the patients with benign disease diagnosed by the triple approach have avoided excision biopsy, none of whom have subsequently been found to have carcinoma. Eighty patients with advanced breast carcinoma were spared operative intervention.     

Fine Needle Aspiration Cytodiagnosis As A Pre-Requisite For Primary Medical Treatment of Breast Cancer

The accurate non-surgical diagnosis of breast lumps allows assessment of breast cancer patients for conservation or neoadjuvant primary treatment before surgical intervention. We have analysed the accuracy of clinical assessment, fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC), and mammography in over 868 women seen in a symptomatic breast clinic. Clinical examination by an experienced breast physician, together with FNAC, detected over 99% of the cancers with a 12% false positive rate. A cytological diagnosis of definite carcinoma was obtained in 69% of women with breast cancer with no false positive result from the women with benign conditions producing a 100% positive predictive value. These results indicate that it would be acceptable to give pre-surgical systemic endocrine or chemotherapy to women with positive cytology which is therefore a prerequisite for a neoadjuvant therapy programme.     

Ectopic lesions as potential pitfalls in fine needle aspiration cytology: a report of 3 cases derived from the thyroid, endometrium and breast

BACKGROUND: Ectopic lesions are rarely encountered. Those that are derived from thyroid, breast, endometrium and salivary glands present with palpable masses that can mimic malignancy. Fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) is a practical procedure for the differential diagnosis of such lesions but can reveal surprising images for a cytopathologist. CASES: Three cases of discrete, ectopic lesions at different locations occurred. Case 1 was a 27-year-old woman. Upon diagnosis of a submandibular mass with a diameter of 1 cm, FNAC was performed. The smears showed crowded thyroid follicular cells comprising papillary clusters. A cytologic diagnosis of papillary thyroid lesion was rendered, Histopathology revealed that this lesion was ectopic thyroid tissue with focal chronic thyroiditis. Case 2 was a 38-year-old woman who presented with a painful mass with a diameter of 2.5 cm in the abdominal wall. The patient had undergone cesarean section 3 years earlier. The case was diagnosed on FNAC as low grade malignancy in which an adenocarcinoma/mesenchymal tumor distinction could not be made. The pathologic examination revealed endometriosis. Case 3 was a 31-year old woman who presented with a palpable nodule in the axillary region with a diameter of 1 cm. The patient had given birth 1 month earlier and was nursing. An FNAC diagnosis of lactation ectopic breast tissue was made. The mass disappeared by the end of lactation. CONCLUSION: FNAC of ectopic lesions may prove to be a diagnostic pitfall for cytopathologists. A cytopathologist who encounters a cellularpicturefrom a lesion that is outside the normal anatomic location must use a cautious diagnostic approach. Unless there are clear findings, the cytopathologist must refrain from a diagnosis of malignancy.     

Fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) of mammary granular cell tumour: a report of three cases

This report describes the FNAC findings in three cases of granular cell tumour of the breast. The patients comprised two females aged 59 and 62 years and one male aged 28 years. All patients presented with a breast lump which was clinically and radiologically suspicious of malignancy. FNAs yielded moderately cellular specimens which on cytologic examipation consisted of groups of cells and single cells with small regular nuclei and abundant granular cytoplasm. Bare nuclei were also present but these did not have the characteristic bipolar appearance of myoepithelial cells. In two cases there was a granularity to the background. The aspirates were reported as equivocal or atypical, probably benign, and surgical biopsy was performed. Histological examination showed typical benign granular cell tumours with strong positive staining for S-100 protein. Pathologists should be aware that granular cell tumour may occur in or around the breast and should consider this diagnosis in aspirates containing a population of cells with regular nuclei and abundant granular cytoplasm. The main cytologic differential diagnoses are likely to be apocrine cells and histiocytes. The suspicion of a granular cell tumour should be heightened when these features are present in an aspirate from a clinically and radiologically suspicious mass. These cases highlight the role of the triple approach encompassing clinical, radiological and cytological features in the assessment of a breast lesion.     

Fine needle aspiration cytology in the work-up of mammographic and ultrasonographic findings in breast cancer screening: an attempt at differentiating in situ and invasive carcinoma.

This study evaluated the results of fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) from the first four years of organized mammography screening for breast cancer in Oslo, particularly our policy in differentiating in situ and invasive carcinoma. Lesions were aspirated directly, ultrasound guided, by stereotaxic device or biopsy localization plate. All lesions were aspirated by cytopathologists working with the radiologists at the breast diagnostic centre. Smears were evaluated immediately for assessment of adequacy and a preliminary diagnosis was given to the surgeon. When FNAC revealed malignancy, diagnostic terms were as follows: (1) invasive carcinoma; (2) ductal carcinoma in situ of comedo type (high nuclear grade), cannot evaluate infiltration; (3) ductal carcinoma in situ of low nuclear grade and (4) papillary tumour, cannot evaluate infiltration. There were 953 cases, 70% of which were nonpalpable. Insufficient material was obtained in 5.8%. Absolute and complete sensitivity were 81% and 91%, respectively. Specificity was 85%. There were 448 histologically proven carcinomas. 383 of these were invasive. 362 carcinomas (in situ and invasive) (80.8%) were diagnosed directly on FNAC. Distinction between invasive and in situ carcinoma was possible in 294 of 320 directly diagnosed invasive carcinomas (91.8%). PPV of a diagnosis of invasive carcinoma was 97%. Our data showed that definitive cytological diagnosis of invasive carcinoma was possible in more than 90% of fully diagnostic smears and allowed definitive primary surgery in these women.     

Oral metastasis of breast carcinoma diagnosed by fine needle aspiration cytology. A case report

BACKGROUND: Fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) is an important technique in the diagnosis of oral and maxillofacial conditions. The purpose of the present paper is to report a case of oral metastasis of breast carcinoma diagnosed by FNAC. CASE: A 45-year-old, black woman was referred for evaluation of symptomatic swelling in the left mandible. The medical history revealed that the patient had undergone extensive surgery to remove a lobular carcinoma. She had finished chemotherapy treatment about 5 months earlier. Due to the main diagnostic considerations of metastatic and inflammatory disease, FNAC was performed. The cytologic picture was consistent with a metastatic glandular neoplasm. CONCLUSION: FNAC is a safe, reliable, cost-effective and easy procedure and sometimes eliminates the need for open biopsy.     

Inadequate rates are lower when FNAC samples are taken by cytopathologists

Inadequate rates (IR) in FNAC from different sources were compared. The rates were lowest when FNAC was performed by a cytopathologist (12%) and highest when done by a non-cytopathologist (32%). These differences were mirrored in high IRs in breast cancer cases. IR was not significantly improved when non-cytopathologist FNAC was attended by a cytotechnician.     

Pitfalls in the diagnosis of Wegener''s granulomatosis on fine needle aspiration cytology

OBJECTIVE: To review the clinical and pathological findings in six suspected cases of Wegener's granulomatosis (WG) and highlight the diagnostic difficulties faced by the cytopathologist. METHODS: Retrospective review of records of the Cytopathology Department to identify patients who underwent image-guided transthoracic pulmonary fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) for pulmonary lesions of suspected WG and those who were subsequently confirmed to have WG. Detailed evaluation of cytomorphological features was carried out. RESULTS: A total of six cases were identified in whom the initial procedure to obtain a pathological diagnosis was transthoracic FNAC. In one case, atypical squamous cells on cytology initially suggested a diagnosis of squamous cell carcinoma while in another a diagnosis of WG was made on cytology; however, a subsequent lung biopsy revealed silicosis. CONCLUSION: Acute inflammation and necrosis are the most consistent cytopathological findings in WG. In selected cases FNAC can provide supportive pathological evidence to establish a diagnosis of WG.     

Influence of imaging on touch imprint cytology of breast lesions

Purpose: Touch imprint cytology (TIC) facilitates rapid diagnosis of breast diseases in women attending triple assessment clinics. Some pathologists, in our centre, feel that pathological interpretation of TIC slides is contentious when the lesions are radiologically indeterminate (R3), as these can lead to potentially higher false positive or false negative cytology results. We hypothesised that: ‘(R3) lesions are more likely to have higher false positive or false negative TIC and/or be inadequate for TIC assessment’. In other words, ‘imaging influences cytological classification especially when indeterminate’. Methods: Review of the data collected in our centre between December 2003 and July 2005. All patients who attended the one stop symptomatic breast clinic and had a TIC performed following an ultrasound (US) guided core biopsy (CB) were included. Demographic, radiological, cytological and core biopsy grading data were collected. Cytology grading was correlated with radiology classification to assess our hypothesis. Results: A total of 248 patients underwent 254 CB/TIC. The average patient's age of the group was 54 years (range of 29–95). On TIC, 186 (73%) were deemed malignant, 23(9%) benign while 33(13%) were inadequate for assessment. There was no false positive or false negative TIC. There was good correlation between TIC and CB results (p < 0.0001). Thirty-three cases were inadequate (C1) for cytology assessment, of these16 (48.5%) were indeterminate on imaging. R3 lesions were 6 times more prone to have C1 cytology (p < 0.0001). Conclusion: Touch imprint cytology is a reliable and efficient method in running a one stop breast clinic, with the backup of full tissue diagnosis. Careful selection of cases that would benefit from this technique is highly recommended as a significant number of radiologically indeterminate lesions are likely to be insufficient for cytological assessment. Further prospective trials are required to assess this further. Until then the diagnosis in this sub-group should depend on core biopsy.     

Fine needle aspiration cytology of the breast: impact of experience on accuracy, using standardized cytologic criteria

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the impact of experience on the accuracy of breast fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) using standardized microscopic criteria and review the possible complementarities between FNAC and core biopsy (CB). STUDY DESIGN: We studied 292 breast FNAC samples and their subsequent biopsies. The cytologic samples were blindly reevaluated 4-7 years later, when we had gained more experience and refined our diagnostic criteria. The accuracy of the first reading was compared to that obtained at the second reading. Inadequate smears were included in the accuracy calculations. RESULTS: In the second reading, the identification of carcinomas and of benign lesions became more accurate. The improvement was statistically significant. Absolute sensitivity passed from 59.9% to 67.7%. Specificity increased from 52.0% to 56.0%. The inadequacy rate varied from 12.7% to 14.0% and complete sensitivity from 92.2% to 91.7%. The majority of inadequate smears were associated with benign lesions. CONCLUSION: Significant improvements are associated with increased experience. A more detailed evaluation of nuclear atypia and the use of Papanicolaou-stained material were also important. Accurate selection of patients may improve specificity. FNAC could be used in a complementary way with CB.     

Imprint cytology of vacuum-assisted breast biopsy specimens: a rapid diagnostic tool in non-palpable solid lesions

Objective:  Imprint cytology provides a rapid preliminary diagnosis shortly after the completion of breast biopsy. This study aims to assess the validity of imprint cytology for the pre-operative diagnosis of non-palpable mammographic solid lesions excised by vacuum-assisted breast biopsy (VABB).
Methods:  Seventy-two women with non-palpable Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System 3 and 4 mammographic solid lesions without microcalcifications underwent VABB on the stereotactic Fischer's table with 11-G Mammotome vacuum probes. Imprint samples were examined (Diff-Quick stain, modified Papanicolaou stain and May-Grünwald–Giemsa). The cores were dipped into a CytoRich Red Collection fluid for a few seconds in order to obtain samples with the use of the specimen wash. After the completion of cytological procedures, the core was prepared for routine pathological study. The pathologist was blind to the preliminary cytological results. The cytological and pathological diagnoses were comparatively evaluated.
Results:  The sensitivity of the cytological imprints for cancer was 90%. The specificity of the method for cancer diagnosis was 100%. Two precursor lesions were present in the material: one case of atypical ductal hyperplasia, which was successfully detected, and one case of lobular neoplasia, which escaped detection. The cytological imprints were inadequate in four out of 72 cases (5.6%), but none of them were included within the malignant subgroup.
Conclusions:  Imprint cytology seems to be an important adjunctive tool in the management of patients with non-palpable mammographic solid lesions. Its very satisfactory sensitivity and optimal specificity could establish its use in general clinical practice.     

Fine needle aspiration cytology of mammary hamartoma: a review of nine cases with histological correlation

Mammary hamartoma is a breast lesion rarely reported by fine-needle aspiration cytology (FNAC). We report on our experience of FNAC in nine cases confirmed by biopsy. We searched hospital case files for mammary hamartoma or similar lesions (fibrolipomas, lipomas, fibromas, etc.), and cases included were only those in which both FNAC and a histopathological study had been performed. The cytological features that were analysed included epithelial components, mesenchymal fragments and isolated cells dispersed in the background. The patients ranged in age from 25 to 58 years (mean 40 years), and the lesions were predominantly in the right breast and upper outer quadrant. The duration varied from 1 to 20 years. Mammographic features were characteristic revealing well-circumscribed masses of heterogeneous radiodensity and by ultrasonography were hypoechoic without calcification. Grossly, these lesions were oval to round, well-demarcated masses, ranging in diameter from 10 to 80 mm. The tumours were firm, rubbery and white, consisting largely of dense fibroconnective tissue with variable amounts of adipose tissue and glandular elements. Cytological samples showed two components, epithelial and mesenchymal. The cellularity was variable and was composed of lobular cells forming acini, ductal cells, occasional apocrine and foamy cells; myoepithelial cells and isolated naked nuclei were also observed. Adipose tissue and dense fibrous tissue were observed, occasionally with epithelial cells attached, and this finding was an important feature for diagnosis. We considered that the cytological findings could help to diagnose mammary hamartoma, FNAC making a rapid and very important technique for the diagnosis of this pathology.     

Diagnostic accuracy of fine-needle aspiration cytology in histological grade 1 breast carcinomas: are we good enough?

Background: Fine-needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) of both palpable and non-palpable breast carcinomas has a high accuracy and sensitivity in dedicated centres. It is generally thought that low-grade carcinomas have a distinctly lower sensitivity due to discrete cellular atypia that may be difficult to appreciate. Grade 1 carcinomas make up about 45% of screening-detected breast carcinomas and about 20% of symptomatic breast cancers. The aim of this study was to evaluate the diagnostic sensitivity of grade 1 carcinomas and identify the critical features in the cytological diagnostic work-up of these tumours. Methods: There were FNAC smears from 494 histologically confirmed grade 1 carcinomas diagnosed during 1996–2004. The cytological diagnoses were compared with the histology. Results: A definitive malignant diagnosis (absolute sensitivity) was given in 382 cases (77.3%). Equivocal or suspicious diagnoses were given in 75 (15.2%), benign or probably benign (false negative) in 24 (4.8%). Thirteen cases (2.6%) were unsatisfactory. Complete sensitivity was 92.7%. Invasive ductal carcinomas comprised 81.3% of all cases; absolute sensitivity for these was 80.9%. Invasive lobular and tubular carcinomas comprised 7.3% and 5.9% of cases, respectively; absolute sensitivity for these diagnosis was 50.0% and 57.1%, respectively, significantly lower than for other subtypes (P ≤ 0.0001) whereas the difference for complete sensitivity was less but still significant (P = 0.017). Absolute and complete sensitivities were lower for tumours less than 1 cm size compared with more than 1 cm (P ≤ 0.00001). Conclusion: Preoperative FNAC diagnosis of grade 1 breast carcinoma has a high sensitivity, especially in ductal carcinomas. Invasive lobular and tubular carcinomas were less likely to receive a definite preoperative diagnosis. The main reason for not reaching a definitive malignant diagnosis was sampling error due to small tumours less than 1 cm in diameter, irrespective of tumour subtype.     

Role of fine needle aspiration cytology in the diagnosis of soft tissue tumours

Fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) is a widely accepted safe, simple and rapid diagnostic procedure used in the examination of neoplastic and non‐neoplastic lesions of various locations. Since its introduction, FNAC has developed into an effective diagnostic tool practiced in a large majority of medical centres evaluating and treating oncological patients. The role of FNAC has been limited in the examination of primary soft tissue lesions, however, as many physicians working in this area recommended against using FNAC. An increasing use of minimally invasive diagnostic procedures in the last decade has resulted in a better acceptance of FNAC as a first‐line approach or as a complementary tool to core needle biopsy in the diagnosis of musculoskeletal lesions. This review discusses the role and value of FNAC in the evaluation and treatment of soft tissue tumours based on the experience gathered over the course of 48 years at the Sarcoma Center in Lund, Sweden. FNAC reports most often provide diagnostic information allowing the initiation of treatment or, when definitive diagnosis cannot be rendered from a cytological examination, guiding the continued diagnostic investigation. The main advantages of soft tissue FNAC are good sensitivity and specificity, low morbidity, speed of diagnosis, and low cost/benefit ratio. The most important disadvantages stem from limited experience in cytological diagnosis of soft tissue tumours and a lack of standardised and uniform reporting system for soft tissue FNAC.     

Fine needle aspiration cytology of thyroid nodules: how accurate is it and what are the causes of discrepant cases?

Fine-needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) is widely accepted as the most accurate, sensitive, specific and cost-effective diagnostic procedure in the assessment of thyroid nodules and helps to select people preoperatively for surgery. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the results of thyroid FNAC in our institution and to determine the reasons for discrepancies between the cytological and histological diagnosis. We evaluated the cytological and histological results of 254 FNACs obtained from 231 patients who underwent subsequent thyroid surgery. All of the material was blindly reviewed for quality control, by one experienced cytopathologist. All FNACs were carried out under ultrasound guidance. The cytological diagnosis was classified as benign, suspicious, malignant or unsatisfactory. The definitive histological study showed benign lesions in 195 of the 231 patients (84%). A benign diagnosis based on FNAC was correct in 105 of the 108 benign cases (97%). FNACs diagnosed as 'suspicious' resulted in a distribution of 49 benign (79%) and 13 malignant (21%) diagnoses. FNAC showed malignancy in 34 cases (13%) and in only one case did the final histology differ from cytology (correlation 97%). The percentage of FNACs that were inadequate for diagnosis was 20%. Review of cytological and histological slides did not lead to any change in the original diagnosis. Our study revealed a cytological-histological discrepancy (2%) in only 4 out of 231 cases over a period of 10 years, due to either a diagnostic or sampling error.     

Development and comparative assessment of Raman spectroscopic classification algorithms for lesion discrimination in stereotactic breast biopsies with microcalcifications

Microcalcifications are an early mammographic sign of breast cancer and a target for stereotactic breast needle biopsy. Here, we develop and compare different approaches for developing Raman classification algorithms to diagnose invasive and in situ breast cancer, fibrocystic change and fibroadenoma that can be associated with microcalcifications. In this study, Raman spectra were acquired from tissue cores obtained from fresh breast biopsies and analyzed using a constituent‐based breast model. Diagnostic algorithms based on the breast model fit coefficients were devised using logistic regression, C4.5 decision tree classification, k‐nearest neighbor (k ‐NN) and support vector machine (SVM) analysis, and subjected to leave‐one‐out cross validation. The best performing algorithm was based on SVM analysis (with radial basis function), which yielded a positive predictive value of 100% and negative predictive value of 96% for cancer diagnosis. Importantly, these results demonstrate that Raman spectroscopy provides adequate diagnostic information for lesion discrimination even in the presence of microcalcifications, which to the best of our knowledge has not been previously reported. (© 2013 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

The toxic effect of cytostatics on primary cilia frequency and multiciliation

The primary cilium is considered as a key component of morphological cellular stability. However, cancer cells are notorious for lacking primary cilia in most cases, depending upon the tumour type. Previous reports have shown the effect of starvation and cytostatics on ciliogenesis in normal and cancer cells although with limited success, especially when concerning the latter. In this study, we evaluated the presence and frequency of primary cilia in breast fibroblasts and in triple‐negative breast cancer cells after treatment with cytostatics finding that, in the case of breast fibroblasts, primary cilia were detected at their highest incidence 72 hours after treatment with 120 nM doxorubicin. Further, multiciliated cells were also detected after treatment with 80 nM doxorubicin. On the other hand, treatment with taxol increased the number of ciliated cells only at low concentrations (1.25 and 3.25 nM) and did not induce multiciliation. Interestingly, triple‐negative breast cancer cells did not present primary cilia after treatment with either doxorubicin or taxol. This is the first study reporting the presence of multiple primary cilia in breast fibroblasts induced by doxorubicin. However, the null effect of these cytostatics on primary cilia incidence in the evaluated triple negative breast carcinomas cell lines requires further research.