The coherence between fine needle aspiration cytology and histopathology of palpable neck nodes in lower lip carcinoma patients

Abstract

Obtaining a preoperative diagnosis of palpable neck nodes in head and neck carcinoma patients provides accurate staging and allows a treatment plan to be established. Fine-needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) of palpable neck nodes was performed in 26 consecutive lower lip carcinoma patients. This resulted in 100% specificity, 88.8% accurate diagnosis, and 71.4% sensitivity; 83.4% of the mobile and soft neck masses which were examined were benign nodes (r=0.834). These results showed a consistency of the histopathological findings in this very particular patient group. The outpatient FNAC of neck masses was well tolerated by our patients. This procedure is safe, quick, and does not compromise the node dissection. Furthermore, the cost-effectiveness of FNAC makes it useful in disease staging.