Limited Tissue Biopsies and Hematolymphoid Neoplasms

Objectives: Use of fine-needle aspiration/needle core biopsy (FNA/CNB) in evaluating hematolymphoid processes has been debated. We investigate its applicability in various clinicopathologic settings.

Methods: We retrospectively analyzed 152 cases of FNA/CNB.

Results: Of 152 FNA/CNBs, 124 (81.6%) resulted in diagnoses without excisional biopsies, while 28 required subsequent excisional biopsies. Of these, 43 FNA/CNBs performed for suspected lymphoma relapse demonstrated 95.4% diagnostic rate (41/43), which was significantly better than those without history of lymphoma (77/109, 71%; odds ratio [OR], 8.5; confidence interval, 1.9-37.4). Patients with immunodeficiency also showed a high rate of diagnosis by FNA/CNB (100%). When stratified by types of disease, diffuse large B-cell lymphoma/high-grade B-cell lymphoma demonstrated a higher success rate (92.7%) than small B-cell lymphoma (79.2%), though the difference was not statistically significant (OR, 3.3; P value = .07). A subsequent excisional biopsy was required in 28 cases, 23 of which resulted in diagnoses concordant with the FNA/CNB. Five cases showed diagnostic discordance, reflecting pitfalls of FNA/CNB in unusual cases with complex pathology.

Conclusions: FNA/CNB is practical in evaluating most hematolymphoid lesions, with high efficacy in recurrent disease and some primary neoplasms with homogeneous/ aggressive histology, or characteristic immunophenotype.