Diagnosis of solid tumors in infants by fine‐needle aspiration cytology: 5 years retrospective study from a tertiary care oncology center in South India

Abstract

Introduction Neuroblastoma (NB), Wilms tumor (WT), hepatoblastoma (HBL), germ cell tumors (GCT), rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS), and so forth are the commonly identified solid tumors in infants. Invasive diagnostic techniques are more challenging in infants than older children. fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) is a safe, minimally invasive and outpatient procedure which is time and cost‐effective for solid tumor diagnosis. This study aims to evaluate the role of FNAC in the diagnosis of various infantile solid tumors. Methods In this retrospective study, 61 cases of FNA of infant solid tumors were retrieved from the cytology archives over a period of 5 years from January 2013 to December 2017. Cytomorphology was studied and immunohistochemistry on cell block was performed wherever feasible. Histopathological correlation was done in 19 cases. Results Of the 61 cases studied, 60 cases were included in the study of which 35 were male and 25 were female. Infantile solid tumors constituted 7.3% of all pediatric solid tumors reported in cytopathology division of our Institute. The most common final diagnosis was NB (15, 25%) followed by HBL (13, 21.6%), WT (10, 16.6%), RMS (nine, 15%) and GCT (nine, 15%). The commonest site was abdominal‐pelvic (42, 70%). A definitive independent diagnosis could be made on FNA in 48 cases (80%). Follow‐up was done for 1.5 to 4 years (mean 26 months). The highest and lowest mortality was noted in NB (64.3%) and WT (12.5%) respectively. Conclusion This study concludes that FNAC can be adopted as a diagnostic modality in infant solid tumors.

Case report: Lymph node metastasis of pelvic alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma diagnosed by fine needle aspiration cytology

“…With the advancement of modern pathology, some cases that are difficult to diagnose morphologically can be determined in combination with immunophenotyping and genetic features. It is not uncommon in clinical practice to make a diagnosis of RMS by FNAC ( 23 , 24 ), but only a few studies have discussed the cytologic diagnosis of metastatic ARMS in lymph nodes. Those three cases had been reported arising from the nasal cavity, paranasal sinus, or nasal vestibule with metastasis to cervical lymph nodes.…”

A Retrospective Study on Utility of Fine Needle Aspiration Cytology (Fnac) in the Diagnosis of Soft Tissue Tumors and Tumor-Like Lesions

“…[10] FNAC had an excellent concordance rate with histological grading in soft tissue sar-comas. The study [11] showed that FNAC helps assess tumor aggressiveness and make treatment plans. While FNAC has been examined extensively in other areas, there is a shortage of studies examining its potential impact in the Indian state of Bhilai.…”