Fine needle aspiration cytology of oral lesions

ABSTRACT

This study was carried out to introduce the use of fine needle aspiration cytology for the early and quick diagnosis of oral lesions. All patients were referred to a private clinic for Fine Needle Aspiration Cytology by Dental Surgeons. A total number of 86 patients were included in this study. These patients had a mass in oral cavity, in salivary glands or in sub mental / sub mandibular area. The duration of study was two years, from January 2010 to December 2012. Fine needle aspiration was done and smears were made for cytopathological diagnosis. All patients were followed up and a biopsy report was obtained for correlation. Age range was 1-85 years. Mean age being 39 years. Lesions were equally distributed between male and female patients. Out of 86 patients majority n=27 [31.3%] presented with a parotid mass, n=18 [20.9%] presented with a submandibular mass, n=14 [16.2%] had cheek swelling and n=11 [13.6%] had a mass on mandible. Cytopathological analysis showed an equal frequency of benign and malignant tumors n=30 [34.8%] each, n=18 [20.9%] were inflammatory lesions and n=8 [9.5%] nonneoplastic non-inflammatory lesions. Out of 30 benign tumors most common was Pleomorphic Adenoma n=24 [80%] arising in Parotid, out of 30 malignant tumors most common was Squamous cell carcinoma n=22[73.3%]. Out of 18 inflammatory lesions most were either tuberculosis or abscess n=7 [38.8%] each. Histopathological diagnosis was available in 50 patients. Overall accuracy for diagnosis of malignant tumors and inflammatory lesions was 100%, for benign tumors it was 92% and for non-inflammatory non-neoplastic lesions it was 33.3%. Fine needle aspiration is a very useful, cost effective, quick and painless procedure for early diagnosis of oral lesions and in many cases obviates the need for incisional I excisional biopsy