Objective: To calculate the number of cervical mediastinoscopies that need not be carried out ifoesophageal endoscopic ultrasound and fine-needle aspiration biopsy (EUS-FNA) are included in the staging of patients with non-small-cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC).
Design: Retrospective, descriptive.
Method: Patients referred to the St. Antonius Hospital in Nieuwegein, the Netherlands, with NSCLC from January to December 2003 routinely underwent EUS-FNA during the staging process. If mediastinal or distant metastases were found to be present then cervical mediastinoscopy was not carried out as the patient was not eligible for operation. If no metastases were demonstrated then cervical mediastinoscopy was carried out. The value of EUS-FNA was calculated.
Results: A total of 43 patients underwent EUS-FNA: 32 men and 11 women with an average age of 64 (range: 45-77). In 22 (51%) of them, cervical mediastinoscopy was not performed as EUS-FNA demonstrated malignant cells in the lymph nodes of the mediastinum or abdomen, in the left adrenal gland or in the primary tumour which had grown into the mediastinum. In 2 of the 21 other patients malignant cells were found on mediastinoscopy showing the EUS-FNA results in 2 of 43 patients (5%) to be false-negative. No complications occurred.
Conclusion: Based on the findings from EUS-FNA, cervical mediastinoscopy was not performed in 51% of the patient group.