Female patient with breast tumor, presenting with neurological symptoms; CSF with malignant neoplasms cells (Figure). Any type of neoplasm can spread to the leptomeninges and can be detected in the CSF. Among solid tumors, the dissemination is more frequent with breast, melanomas and lung cancer1,2.
Figure
Breast adenocarcinoma with metastasis in CNS and neoplasm cell in SCF. CSF sample was concentrated by Cytospin and albumin enriched. Light microscopy (May-Grunwald/Giensa stain, 1,000x). The malignant cells usually are strange cells to the CSF environment, differing from the cells frequently seen in the CSF. (A and B) Basophilic cytoplasm, presence of degenerative vacuoles in the cytoplasm, abnormal nuclear to cytoplasmic ratio, the nucleus has hyperchromasia. Presence of normal lymphocytes reaction. The lymphocytes provides an indication of the scale. Increase in total CSF cell count is reported in 33 to 79%, ranging from 18 to 685 cells/mm3; consisting predominantly of lymphocytes and monocytes and in some cases neutrophils [3, 5]. (A) The cell in the center is signet-ringed-shaped with endocytogenesis or cell cannibalism. Cell cannibalism is a diagnostic marker of malignancy, was first described in 1904, also called “bird’s-eye cells” is defined as a tumor cell with in a tumor cell such that smaller tumor cells are found in the cytoplasm of the larger tumor cells with crescent-shaped nuclei [4]. (B) Cluster of neoplasic cells with different sizes, on the top signet-ringed-shaped with endocytogenesis; down a binucleated cell; on the right cell with mitoses, condensed chromatin with chromosomes not individualized suggesting prophase.
Breast adenocarcinoma with metastasis in CNS and neoplasm cell in SCF. CSF sample was concentrated by Cytospin and albumin enriched. Light microscopy (May-Grunwald/Giensa stain, 1,000x). The malignant cells usually are strange cells to the CSF environment, differing from the cells frequently seen in the CSF. (A and B) Basophilic cytoplasm, presence of degenerative vacuoles in the cytoplasm, abnormal nuclear to cytoplasmic ratio, the nucleus has hyperchromasia. Presence of normal lymphocytes reaction. The lymphocytes provides an indication of the scale. Increase in total CSF cell count is reported in 33 to 79%, ranging from 18 to 685 cells/mm3; consisting predominantly of lymphocytes and monocytes and in some cases neutrophils [3, 5]. (A) The cell in the center is signet-ringed-shaped with endocytogenesis or cell cannibalism. Cell cannibalism is a diagnostic marker of malignancy, was first described in 1904, also called “bird’s-eye cells” is defined as a tumor cell with in a tumor cell such that smaller tumor cells are found in the cytoplasm of the larger tumor cells with crescent-shaped nuclei [4]. (B) Cluster of neoplasic cells with different sizes, on the top signet-ringed-shaped with endocytogenesis; down a binucleated cell; on the right cell with mitoses, condensed chromatin with chromosomes not individualized suggesting prophase.
The positivity rate of detecting malignant cells in the CSF varies in the literature, usualy is around 24%1,3. Giant tumoral cells sometimes appear in a form suggesting tumor cell cannibalism or endocytogenesis4. Cells of this type are likely to be found after systemic and intrathecal chemotherapy5.
References
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1Kluge H, Wieczorek V, Linke E, Zimmermann K, Isenmann S, Witte OW. Atlas of CSF cytology. Stuttgart: Thieme; 2007.
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2Kim L, Glantz MJ. Neoplastic meningitis. Curr Treat Options Oncol. 2001;2(6):517-27. 10.1007/s11864-001-0073-x
» https://doi.org/10.1007/s11864-001-0073-x -
3Almeida SM, Nakanishi E, Conto AJ, Souza LP, Antonelli Filho D, Roda CD. Cerebrospinal fluid cytological and biochemical characteristics in the presence of CNS neoplasia. Arq Neuropsiquiatr. 2007;65(3B):803-9. http://dx.doi.org/10.1590/S0004-282X2007000500014
» https://doi.org/10.1590/S0004-282X2007000500014 -
4Oostenbrugge RJ, Twijnstra A. Presenting features and value of diagnostic procedures in leptomeningeal metastases. Neurology. 1999;53(2):382-5.
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5Gupta K, Dey P. Cell cannibalism: diagnostic marker of malignancy. Diagn Cytopathol. 2003;28(2):86-7. http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/dc.10234
» https://doi.org/10.1002/dc.10234
Publication Dates
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Publication in this collection
May 2015
History
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Received
21 Jan 2015 -
Accepted
10 Feb 2015
