FINE-NEEDLE ASPIRATION (FNA) CYTOLOGY IN THE DIAGNOSIS OF RECURRENT SOFT-TISSUE SARCOMA

We have used FNA cytology to diagnose suspected local recurrences of s oft tissue sarcoma. Since 1991, a total of 95 FNA cytologies were perf ormed on 86 patients. There were 47 local recurrences, of which 44 wer e diagnosed correctly by FNA cytology; one biopsy was inconclusive, an d two lesions were incorrectly assessed as benign. Thirty-nine patient s proved to have benign lesions in the scar area examined cytologicall y on 50 occasions. None of the specimens was regarded as malignant, bu t in four cases FNA cytology was inconclusive. Overall, there were 5% inconclusive cytological biopsies, 0% falsely malignant and 5% falsely benign. The inconclusive and false-negative cytological diagnoses had no important clinical consequences. FNA biopsy provides a simple mean s of diagnosing local recurrence of soft tissue sarcoma.