The utility of periodic acid schiff with diastase and alcian blue stains on fine needle aspirates of breast and salivary gland neoplasms

BACKGROUND: Fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) is extensively used in the diagnosis of various clinically palpable lesions of breast and salivary glands. Much interest has been gained in mucosubstances produced in tumors arising from these organs. AIMS: To evaluate the utility of Periodic acid Schiff with diastase (PAS-D) and Alcian blue (AB) staining pattern on fine needle aspirates of breast and salivary gland neoplasms. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Seventy-five cases of different neoplasm of breast and salivary gland were studied. The staining pattern of PAS-D and AB stains on smears of these neoplasm were observed. RESULTS: Among cases of neoplasms of breast, intracytoplasmic PAS-D positive globules were restricted to carcinoma except in one case where PAS-D-positive globules were seen in fibroadenoma. The background substance of both mucinous carcinoma and fibroadenoma with myxoid change stained positive with PAS-D, but the pattern was different. The cases of pleomorphic adenoma and mucoepidermoid carcinoma of salivary gland showed intracytoplasmic PAS-D-positive globules. The cases of pleomorphic adenoma showed stromal positivity which was not seen in basal cell adenoma on smears. CONCLUSION: Intracytoplasmic PAS-D-positive globules may be useful in differentiating benign and malignant lesions of breast. The presence of PAS-D positive granules are useful in differentiating various lesions of salivary glands. AB staining of stromal fragments in pleomorphic adenoma is useful in differentiating it from basal cell adenoma.