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Are fine‐needle aspiration biopsy‐derived cell blocks a useful surrogate for tissue samples in breast cancer?
Author(s) -
Puccetti Maurizio,
Ravaioli Sara,
Tumedei Maria M,
Bucchi Elisa,
Malmesi Manuela,
Medri Laura,
Bravaccini Sara
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
histopathology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.626
H-Index - 124
eISSN - 1365-2559
pISSN - 0309-0167
DOI - 10.1111/his.13694
Subject(s) - biopsy , concordance , fine needle aspiration , medicine , breast cancer , progesterone receptor , immunohistochemistry , pathology , cancer , pathological , cytopathology , anatomical pathology , human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 , estrogen receptor , cytology
Aims The diagnosis of breast cancer ( BC ) is based on clinical examination in combination with imaging, and confirmed by pathological assessment of core needle biopsy or fine‐needle aspiration biopsy ( FNAB ). The biological profile of the lesion is needed to define the prognosis and establish therapy. Given the importance of an early and minimally invasive diagnosis, we aimed to verify whether the biological features detected in FNAB ‐derived cytological material reflect the biological characteristics of surgical samples. Methods and results We used immunohistochemistry and fluorescence in‐situ hybridisation to study a panel of conventional biomarkers [oestrogen receptor ( ER ), progesterone receptor (PgR), Ki67, and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 ( HER 2)] in FNAB ‐derived cytological samples included in cell blocks of 93 BC patients, and compared the results with those obtained from histological evaluation of the same parameters in surgical samples. Median immunopositive values of ER , PgR and Ki67 were similar in cell blocks and surgical samples. The concordance rates of ER and PgR between FNAB ‐derived cell blocks and histological samples were 98% and 84%, respectively. The concordance rates of Ki67 and HER 2 between the two sample types were 90% and 96%, respectively. Tumour subtype classification for triple‐negative and HER 2‐positive BC s in FNAB ‐derived cell blocks was always concordant with the subtype determined in surgical material. Conclusions We demonstrated that biological marker determination in FNAB ‐derived cell blocks is feasible, and provides useful information and comparable results to those obtained with histological evaluation. Given the low cost of the procedure and its minimal impact on patients, we believe that cytological samples could be used as an alternative to tissue samples for early BC biomarker evaluation.