Fine-needle aspiration cytology Archives - Revista Brasileira de Ginecologia e Obstetrícia
Summary
Revista Brasileira de Ginecologia e Obstetrícia. 1998;20(4):209-213
DOI 10.1590/S0100-72031998000400006
Fine-needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) is a simple method and free from complications, among great value in mastology. Its accuracy can suffer the influence of several factors, among which we can highlight the experience of the physician who performs it. With the objective of verifying the effectiveness of FNAC performed by general gynecologists, 341 patients were studied concerning the relationship between the results of FNAC and the histology of the breast lesion. We obtained sensitivity of 70.87%, specificity of 70.58%, predictive positive value of 92.40%, predictive negative value of 89.36% and accuracy of 70.67%. We concluded that FNAC is of great value in handling breast lesions and can be appropriately performed by general gynecologists. The method, however, may lead to errors of diagnosis. We do not recommend, therefore, the use of the result of FNAC as a definitive diagnosis; instead this result must be interpreted in the context of the clinical diagnosis and mammography.
Summary
Revista Brasileira de Ginecologia e Obstetrícia. 1998;20(4):209-213
DOI 10.1590/S0100-72031998000400006
Fine-needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) is a simple method and free from complications, among great value in mastology. Its accuracy can suffer the influence of several factors, among which we can highlight the experience of the physician who performs it. With the objective of verifying the effectiveness of FNAC performed by general gynecologists, 341 patients were studied concerning the relationship between the results of FNAC and the histology of the breast lesion. We obtained sensitivity of 70.87%, specificity of 70.58%, predictive positive value of 92.40%, predictive negative value of 89.36% and accuracy of 70.67%. We concluded that FNAC is of great value in handling breast lesions and can be appropriately performed by general gynecologists. The method, however, may lead to errors of diagnosis. We do not recommend, therefore, the use of the result of FNAC as a definitive diagnosis; instead this result must be interpreted in the context of the clinical diagnosis and mammography.
Summary
Revista Brasileira de Ginecologia e Obstetrícia. 2003;25(1):23-28
DOI 10.1590/S0100-72032003000100004
PURPOSE: to determine the expression of HER-2 protein in fine-needle aspirates obtained from infiltrating breast duct carcinoma and in the corresponding surgical specimens and to correlate HER-2 expression with histological grade. Methods: forty-eight smears fixed in alcohol and previously stained by the Papanicolaou technique and histological sections of corresponding paraffin-embedded tissue blocks were submitted to immunohistochemistry by the avidin-biotin-peroxidase method using a polyclonal antibody (A0485-Dako). The reactions were carried out simultaneously with antigen recovery. The results were analyzed by a semiquantitative method according to the HercepTest score. Scores of 3+ were considered to be positive. RESULTS: positivity was observed in 39.6% of the smears and in 35.4% of the respective histological sections, with almost perfect cytohistologic concordance (kappa 0.82). The method of evaluation of histological sections was found to be reproducible regarding the smears and standardized the interpretation of the results. The correlation between HER-2 positivity and histological grade was not statistically significant but there was a tendency towards HER-2 expression in less differentiated tumors. CONCLUSION: the positivity of the immunocytochemical reactions observed in smears was comparable to that obtained in the histological sections, indicating that the material obtained by fine-needle aspiration biopsies previously stained by the Papanicolaou technique can be used for the evaluation of HER-2 expression.
Summary
Revista Brasileira de Ginecologia e Obstetrícia. 2003;25(1):23-28
DOI 10.1590/S0100-72032003000100004
PURPOSE: to determine the expression of HER-2 protein in fine-needle aspirates obtained from infiltrating breast duct carcinoma and in the corresponding surgical specimens and to correlate HER-2 expression with histological grade. Methods: forty-eight smears fixed in alcohol and previously stained by the Papanicolaou technique and histological sections of corresponding paraffin-embedded tissue blocks were submitted to immunohistochemistry by the avidin-biotin-peroxidase method using a polyclonal antibody (A0485-Dako). The reactions were carried out simultaneously with antigen recovery. The results were analyzed by a semiquantitative method according to the HercepTest score. Scores of 3+ were considered to be positive. RESULTS: positivity was observed in 39.6% of the smears and in 35.4% of the respective histological sections, with almost perfect cytohistologic concordance (kappa 0.82). The method of evaluation of histological sections was found to be reproducible regarding the smears and standardized the interpretation of the results. The correlation between HER-2 positivity and histological grade was not statistically significant but there was a tendency towards HER-2 expression in less differentiated tumors. CONCLUSION: the positivity of the immunocytochemical reactions observed in smears was comparable to that obtained in the histological sections, indicating that the material obtained by fine-needle aspiration biopsies previously stained by the Papanicolaou technique can be used for the evaluation of HER-2 expression.