Sensitivity of fine needle aspiration cytology in cervical lymph nodes in nasopharyngeal carcinoma

ABSTRACT

To see the sensitivity of fine needle aspiration cytology [FNAC] in cervical lymph nodes in patients of nasopharyngeal carcinoma [NPC]. Prospective study. Departments of Pathology and Ear Nose and Throat [ENT], Peoples Medical College, Nawabshah. January 2002 to December 2003. 32 patients having cervical lymphadenopathy were selected and divided in two groups A and B. Group A includes 23 patients which were undiagnosed cases of NPC, out of these 19 patients have ENT symptoms and 04 patients having only cervical lymphadenopathy without any ENT symptom. Group B includes 09 post -irradiated patients of NPC having detectable cervical lymphadenopathy. Fine needle aspiration [FNA] was performed with 22 gauge needle attached with 10 ml syringe and 128 smears were prepared [04per patient], stained with haemotoxylen and eosin [H and E] stain. Small surgical tissue biopsies were also taken to correlate the histological findings with cytological findings of the smear of same patient. Close resemblance was found between H and E stained cytological smears and tissue sections by observing under light microscope. The commonest pattern observed was undifferentiated carcinoma. FNAC of cervical lymph nodes is an important tool in the diagnosis of NPC, especially in those patients who have no ENT symptom. FNAC is also helpful in the follow up of post-irradiated patients