Fine-needle aspiration cytology in a regional head and neck cancer center: comparison with a systematic review and meta-analysis.
BACKGROUND
Fine-needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) is used to diagnose masses presenting in the head and neck region. No systematic review of FNAC in this group has yet been performed.


METHODS
A systematic review of the published literature and meta-analysis of data extracted from the included studies were compared with a 10-year review of head and neck FNAC from our institution.


RESULTS
Systematic review identified 30 studies; 3459 FNAC aspirates from all head and neck sites were included. Overall results were as follows: sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, positive predictive value (PPV), and negative predictive value (NPV) were 89.6%, 96.5%, 93.1%, 96.2%, and 90.3%, respectively. Two thousand seven hundred two head and neck aspirates were included in our institutional review. Sensitivity, specificity, PPV, NPV, and accuracy were 89.5%, 98.5%, 97.3%, 94.0%, and 95.1%, respectively.


CONCLUSIONS
Meta-analysis and comparative systematic review confirm that FNAC is highly effective in the diagnosis of head and neck masses, with some limitations.
Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Aintree University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Lower Lane, Liverpool L97AL, United Kingdom.
Sankalap
S
Tandon
Riad
R
Shahab
James I
JI
Benton
Samit K
SK
Ghosh
Jonathan
J
Sheard
Terry M
TM
Jones
D044963:Biopsy, Fine-Needle / Q000379:methods*; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D005260:Female; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality* / Q000473:pathology* / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness / Q000473:pathology*; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology*; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011379:Prognosis; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D016019:Survival Analysis