FNAC is a Boon for Salivary Gland Lesions: A Routine Diagnostic Experience among Rural Population

Abstract

Introduction: Salivary gland comprises of major and minor salivary glands. FNAC is a diagnostic method based on morphologic findings of individuals and group of cells. FNAC is accepted as an excellent investigation for evaluating space occupying lesions of the salivary gland. Aim: FNAC diagnosis was compared with the histological impression and concordance, discordance evaluated. Materials and Methods: This study was conducted in the Department of Pathology, UPUMS, Saifai, Etawah, (UP), India. Data was collected retrospectively from January 2012 to July 2018. Cases of Salivary gland swelling diagnosed on FNAC and its correlation with histopathology during that period were included. All the cytology and histology slides were reviewed and analysed. Results: FNAC was done in 202 patients. Male to female ratio was 1.1:1. A 97 (48.01%) were non-neoplastic, among neoplastic lesions, 71 (35.14%) were benign and 34 (16.83%) were malignant. Submandibular gland was a common location 104 (51.48%) and sialoadenitis 71 (35.14%) was frequent. Among benign tumours pleomorphic adenoma was common 61 (30.19%) and mucoepidermoid carcinoma 9 (4.45%) in malignancy. Histopathology was done in 93 (46.03%) cyto-histo concordance and discordance was achieved in 80 (39.6%) and 13 (6.43%) respectively. FNAC revealed sensitivity of 72.41% and specificity of 96%. Conclusion: FNAC is a reliable diagnostic technique. It provides preoperative diagnosis for therapeutic management, so that unnecessary surgeries are prevented. However, FNAC remains less efficient in a few cases which are inaccurately diagnosed due to overlapping features and for those cases, histopathology is the only modality for final diagnosis.

Keywords

• cytopathology
• histopathology
• neoplasm