Intermediate filament expression of ductal carcinoma cells in fine needle aspirates of the breast.

To assess the frequency of occurrence of vimentin expression in fine needle aspirates of ductal carcinoma of the breast and the association of vimentin expression with established prognostic indicators.Cytocentrifuge preparations made from fine needle aspirates of 51 cases of ductal carcinoma were studied.Vimentin expression, detected in 61% of cases, was positively associated with tumor size, lymph node status, tumor grade, growth fraction and negative estrogen receptor status, but only in the case of lymph node status did the association reach the level of statistical significance.Vimentin expression can be detected in breast cancer using fine needle aspiration. Further study is necessary to determine whether it provides independent prognostic information.