The role of preoperative biopsy in pancreatic cancer (original) (raw)

Efficacy of 3 fine-needle biopsy techniques for suspected pancreatic malignancies in the absence of an on-site cytopathologist

Gastrointestinal Endoscopy, 2018

Background and Aims: EUS-guided fine-needle aspiration/biopsy (EUS-FNA/B) has a high diagnostic accuracy for pancreatic tumors. Most reports have focused on the diagnostic yield of cytology or histology; the ability of various FNA/B techniques to obtain an adequate mass of cells or tissue has rarely been investigated. Methods: Patients with suspected pancreatic malignancy underwent EUS-FNB using a 22-gauge ProCore needle by either the stylet slow-pull-back technique (group A), conventional negative suction after stylet removal (group B), or non-suction after stylet removal (group C) in the absence of an on-site cytopathologist. The adequacy of the 3 techniques based on the diagnostic yield, cellularity, blood contamination, and core-tissue acquisition was evaluated. Results: A total of 50 patients (27 males) were analyzed. The mean tumor size was 21 to 40 mm in 54%. The rate of a good or excellent proportion of cellularity was highest in group A compared with groups B and C (72% vs 60% vs 50%, P Z .049). A >25% rate of blood contamination was more prevalent in group B (30% vs 42% vs 10%, P Z .009). The rate of adequate core-tissue acquisition was not different (52% vs 34% vs 50%, P Z .140). Based on the multivariate generalized estimation equation, the stylet slow-pull-back technique and a tumor size >40 mm were favorable factors for diagnostic adequacy. Conclusions: The stylet slow-pull-back technique might enable acquisition of tissue and assessment of cellularity for the diagnosis of pancreatic tumors suspected to be malignant.

Fine-needle biopsy of the pancreas: Results of 204 routinely performed biopsies in 190 patients

World Journal of Surgery, 1985

Two-hundred and four fine-needle aspiration biopsies of the pancreas have been performed in 190 patients during a 12-year period. Sixty-one of these were performed percutaneously guided by endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography, percutaneous transhepatic cholangiography, angiography, or ultrasonography; and 143 were taken intraoperatively. In 77 (67%) out of 115 patients with pancreatic cancer, a correct cytological diagnosis was obtained. Two biopsies were reported as malignant in 1 patient who ultimately was found to have chronic pancreatitis (false positives). The frequency of "not representative" biopsies varied from 20.8% in patients with suspected cancer biopsied intraoperatively to 48.4% in patients biopsied preoperatively. A correct cytological diagnosis of malignancy was obtained preoperatively in 54.6% of patients with cancer, in 60.0% of patients evaluated without later operation, and in 71.1% of patients biopsied during laparotomy for suspected pancreatic cancer. The overall false-negative rate was 9.8%. The predictive value of a positive test was almost 100%, whereas the predictive value of a negative test was only 69.6% (total material). Analyses may indicate that a more aggressive approach with multiple punctures may Iower the not representative biopsy rate and increase the diagnostic accuracy in patients with pancreatic cancer.

Yield of endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration biopsy in patients with suspected pancreatic carcinoma

Cancer, 2003

Although atypical or suspicious cytology may support a clinical diagnosis of a malignancy, it is often not sufficient for the implementation of therapy in patients with pancreatic carcinoma. Endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration biopsy (EUS-FNAB) is a relatively new method for obtaining cytology samples, and one that may decrease the number of atypical/suspicious diagnoses. The goals of the current study were to prospectively evaluate the yield of EUS-FNAB in the diagnosis of patients presenting with solid pancreatic lesions and to evaluate the significance of atypical, suspicious, and false-negative aspirates.

Fine Needle Aspiration Cytology in Pancreatic Pathology

Acta Cytologica, 1996

OBJECTIVE: To assess the sensitivity and specificity of pancreatic fine needle aspiration. STUDY DESIGN: Two hundred five fine needle aspirates were obtained from 149 patients over seven years. After excluding 40 patients lacking biopsy or follow-up, 125 aspirates from 109 patients were selected to analyze the accuracy of this method (male:female ratio, 1.4:1; age range 43-79 years). RESULTS: The cytologic diagnosis was true positive in 50 studies (45.9%), false positive in 0, true negative in 25 (22.9%), false negative in 19 (17.4%) and suspicious for malignancy in 17 (15.6%); 14 aspirations (12.8%) yielded material unsatisfactory for a diagnosis. Of the 17 suspicious studies, 15 were from patients in whom a malignancy was confirmed later. The other two patients had chronic pancreatitis. CONCLUSION: The efficiency was 79.8%, sensitivity 72.5%, and specificity and predictive value of a positive result 100%. Cell blocks provided sufficient material in 96.8% of cases and smears in 90.4%. No major complications were reported after fine needle aspiration. (Acta Cytol 1996;40:683-686)

Two cases of resectable pancreatic cancer diagnosed by open surgical biopsy after endoscopic ultrasound fine-needle aspiration failed to yield diagnosis: case reports

Surgical case reports, 2017

Tumor biopsy for histological diagnosis is required preoperatively and before initiating chemotherapy or radiation therapy for patients with pancreatic cancer (Cancer of the Pancreas: Clinical Practice Guidelines, European Society for Medical Oncology). Endoscopic ultrasound fine-needle aspiration (EUS-FNA) is widely applied to obtain tissue samples for histological examination. However, in some cases, EUS-FNA cannot be performed safely or tissue samples are insufficient to establish a definitive diagnosis. We present two cases of pancreatic cancer diagnosed by open surgical biopsy after EUS-FNA failed to yield a diagnosis. Case 1 was a 50-year-old man. Computed tomography showed a hypovascular lesion in the uncus of the pancreas. Although EUS-FNA was conducted twice, we could not collect enough quantity of tissue samples to establish a definitive diagnosis. Open surgical biopsy revealed adenocarcinoma, and the patient underwent preoperative chemoradiation therapy followed by curati...

Diagnostic yield and agreement on fine-needle specimens from solid pancreatic lesions: comparing the smear technique to liquid-based cytology

Endoscopy International Open, 2020

Background and study aims The traditional “smear technique” for processing and assessing endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration (EUS-FNA) is sensitive to artifacts. Processing and evaluation of specimens collected in a liquid medium, liquid-based cytology (LBC) may be a solution. We compared the diagnostic value of EUS-FNA smears to LBC in pancreatic solid lesions in the absence of rapid on-site evaluation (ROSE). Patients and methods Consecutive patients who required EUS-FNA of a solid pancreatic lesion were included in seven hospitals in the Netherlands and followed for at least 12 months. Specimens from the first pass were split into two smears and a vial for LBC (using ThinPrep and/or Cell block). Smear and LBC were compared in terms of diagnostic accuracy for malignancy, sample quality, and diagnostic agreement between three cytopathologists. Results Diagnostic accuracy for malignancy was higher for LBC (82 % (58/71)) than for smear (66 % (47/71), P = 0.04), but di...

Cell block technique and cytological smears for the differential diagnosis of pancreatic neoplasms after endosonography-guided fine-needle aspiration

Cytological smear is widely employed to analyse specimens obtained from endosonography-guided fine-needle aspiration (EUS-FNA), but false-negative or inconclusive results may occur. A better diagnostic yield can be obtained from processing cell blocks. We compared the effectiveness of the cell block technique and cytological smear in the diagnosis of pancreatic neoplasms. From January 1997 to December 2006, 611 patients with pancreatic tumors were evaluated by EUS-FNA. Surgery was performed in 356 cases, and the other 255 patients were followed clinically for an average of 12.8 months. In total, 282 (46.2%) patients were evaluated with cytological smears, and 329 (53.8%) were evaluated using only cell blocks. Malignant disease was detected in 352 (57.6%) cases, in which adenocarcinoma accounted for 236 (67%) cases. A benign disease was found in the other 259 cases, including 35.1% focal chronic pancreatitis and 32.4% pseudocysts. Aspiration samples were satisfactory in 595 (97.4%) patients after an average of 2.2 (1-4) passes of the needle. Regardless of the cytopathological examination technique, EUS-FNA confirmed malignancy in 269 of 352 (76.4%) cases, and a benign disease in 257 of 259 (99.2%) cases. For patients who received surgery with histologically confirmed lesions, the sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values, and accuracy of the smears versus cell blocks in diagnosing pancreatic tumors were 61% versus 85.2% (P<0.001), 100% versus 93.1%, 100% versus 98.4%, 36% versus 55.1% (P=0.046) and 68% versus 86.5% (P<0.001), respectively. The cell block technique demonstrated a hig-her sensitivity, negative predictive value and accuracy than cytological smears.