Fine-needle aspiration biopsy of high-grade sarcoma: a report of 107 cases

To the authors' knowledge, few studies exist demonstrating the reliability of fine-needle aspiration (FNA) biopsy for high-grade sarcoma (HGS).

In the current study, the authors reviewed their cytopathology database (March 2001 through January 2007) and identified all FNA cases diagnosed as HGS. They also searched their tissue database for all HGS cases that had prior FNA biopsy findings.

A total of 107 FNA samples from 98 patients (age range, 13-90 years, with a male:female ratio of 1:1) had an FNA diagnosis of HGS, or had HGS and a prior FNA diagnosis of another entity. Ten cases were nondiagnostic. Of the 97 remaining samples, 6 were diagnosed as something other than HGS (sensitivity of 94%). The positive predictive value of an FNA diagnosis of HGS was 97% (88 of 91 cases). Fifty-four cases were diagnosed as HGS, not otherwise specified, 8 as myxofibrosarcoma, 8 as osteosarcoma, 5 as malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumor, 5 as leiomyosarcoma, 4 as Ewing sarcoma, 4 as liposarcoma, 2 as epithelioid sarcoma, and 1 as angiosarcoma. Approximately 71% of patients presented with a primary tumor, 23% with disease recurrence, and 7% with metastasis. Sites of disease included the lower extremity (59%), upper extremity (19%), trunk (15%), groin (4%), and head and neck (4%). FNA diagnosis was confirmed histologically in 88% of cases, clinically in 7% of cases, and cytogenetically in 1% of cases; 3% of cases had false-positive results and 1 patient was lost to follow-up. Sixteen of 19 patients received neoadjuvant chemotherapy based on the FNA diagnosis alone.

A cytopathologic diagnosis of HGS was found to be accurate in 88 of 97 cases (91%) with follow-up. A FNA biopsy diagnosis of HGS appears to be clinically reliable in a high percentage of cases when used in close conjunction with the orthopedic team.