Intraoperative evaluation of sentinel lymph nodes in breast cancer: comparison of frozen sections, imprint cytology and immunocytochemistry.
OBJECTIVE
We analysed the utility of imprint cytology with rapid immunocytochemistry and frozen section analysis for the evaluation of sentinel lymph nodes in breast cancer patients.


METHODS
The sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive values have been calculated for each method individually, each pair and all three together. We compared these results with those of routinely processed paraffin sections.


RESULTS
The sensitivity and specificity of each of the three methods for detection of metastatic carcinoma were as follows: 69.4% and 97.8% for touch imprint cytology; 58.3% and 100% for frozen sections; 68.5% and 98.9% for rapid immunocytochemistry. When the methods were combined, the highest accuracy was achieved by touch imprint cytology, frozen sections, touch imprint cytology plus rapid immunocytochemistry, or touch imprint cytology frozen section analysis and rapid immunocytochemistry, each of these having identical sensitivity and specificity of 72.2% and 97.8%, respectively.


CONCLUSIONS
In our study the combined accuracy of the three methods was the same as combining touch imprint cytology and frozen sections or touch imprint cytology plus rapid immunocytochemistry. Rapid immunocytochemistry provides an additional parameter and preserves tissue for permanent sections.
Department of Pathology, Josa Andras County Hospital, Nyiregyhaza, Hungary.
M
M
Francz
K
K
Egervari
Z
Z
Szollosi
D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D005629:Frozen Sections; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007432:Intraoperative Period; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D008875:Middle Aged; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D021701:Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy / Q000379:methods*