Shahzad Aslam, Rashid Mehmood, Sana Afroze, Ali Akbar, Samreen Mushtaq, Humayun Siiddique, Ameer Afzal, Khalid Masood Gondal.
Diagnostic accuracy of ultrasound guided fine needle aspiration cytology of axilla in staging of breast cancer.
J Allama Iqbal Med Coll Jan ;19(4):904-9.

Objective: To determine the diagnostic accuracy of ultrasound guided fine needle aspiration cytology of axilla in staging of breast cancer taking histopathology as gold standard Methods: 160 patients fulfilling inclusion criteria were enrolled in the study from the outpatient department (OPD) of Surgery, Mayo Hospital, Lahore. All female patient diagnosed with carcinoma breast underwent ultrasound-guided fine needle aspiration cytology by a senior consultant radiologist under local anesthesia with assistance of researcher. Fine needle aspiration cytology samples were sent to the pathology department of the hospital. Reports were obtained and patients were labeled as positive or negative. Meanwhile, all patients underwent surgical intervention of primary tumor and Axillary lymph node dissection under general anesthesia by a consultant surgeon with assistance of researcher. Results: The mean age of patients was 49.53 ± 11.02 years with minimum and maximum age as 25 and 70 years. On ultrasound-guided fine needle aspiration cytology of axillary lymph nodes,95(59.38%) females had positive axillary lymph node involvement nodes while 65(40.62%) females had negative axillary lymph node involvement. On histopathology 91(56.88%) females had axillary lymph node metastasis and 69(43.12%) females had no evidence of axillary lymph node metastasis. There were 85 cases who had positive axillary lymph node involvement both on histopathology and ultrasound-guided fine needle aspiration cytology, 59 cases had negative axillary lymph node involvement on both histopathology. The Sensitivity, Specificity, Positive Predictive Value, Negative Predictive Value and Diagnostic Accuracy of ultrasound guided fine needle aspiration cytology was 93.41%, 85.51%, 89.47%, 90.77% and 90.00% respectively. Conclusion: It is concluded that ultrasound guided fine needle aspiration cytology of axilla has very good diagnostic accuracy (Sensitivity, Specificity, Positive Predictive Value, Negative Predictive Value and Diagnostic Accuracy of ultrasound guided fine needle aspiration cytology was 93.41%, 85.51%, 89.47%, 90.77% and 90.00% respectively) in staging of breast cancer taking histopathology as gold standard. Hence this cheap, easily available, patient compliant and minimally-invasive method can be used to stage the axilla in breast cancer. Moreover, by quick and early detection of the stage the appropriate treatment can be initiated timely for good prognosis. Key Words: Ultrasound guided, histopathology, Fine needle aspiration cytology, axilla, breast cancer.

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