Introduction: Fine needle aspiration cytology is a quick, reliable, effective and well established method in the evaluation of breast lumps and is being widely used in assessment of breast lesions.Breast cancer in males is relatively uncommon, accounting for <1% of all breast cancers. Due to this rarity of the disease; screening, diagnosis, and further management is a big challenge. Further adding on to the challenge, breast masses in males is rarely aspirated and hence there is limited cytopathologic experience.

Aims and Objectives: To determine the efficacy of FNAC in the study of male breast lesions and to analyze the cytological spectrum of these lesions.

Materials and Methods: This study was conducted over a period of 1 year between January 2018 to January 2019. All the cases of male breast FNAC done were documented. FNAC diagnosis were categorized as benign, malignant, suspicious for malignancy and inadequate or unsatisfactory.

Results: A total of 30 male patients with breast lump were encountered, out of which 23 cases (76.66%) were Gynecomastia, 04 cases (13.33%) were Malignancy, 02 cases (6.66%) were Suspicious for malignancy and 01 case (3.33%) was unsatisfactory.

Conclusion: FNAC is accurate and reliable tool for diagnosis of male breast lesions. However, it is more sensitive and specific if the cellularity is adequate. To avoid unnecessary surgical biopsies, we conclude that FNAC should be performed as a standard procedure in the clinical evaluation of male breast masses.

Keywords: Fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC), Gynecomastia, Male breast lesions.

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Dr Anil J

Department of Pathology, Mysore Medical College and Research Institute, Mysore, Karnataka