Percutaneous lymph node aspiration in patients with gynecologic tumors

Sixty-one patients with gynecologic malignancies had percutaneous transperitoneal lymph node aspiration performed by a flexible 8-inch needle guided to the nodes under monoplanar fluoroscopy. Of the patients who had malignant cells aspirated from pelvic and periaortic lymph nodes, 64% died or are alive with disease. Only 30% who had negative cytologic testing died or are alive with disease. Of the patients who had malignant cells aspirated from periaortic nodes, 69% died or are alive with disease whereas only 8% with negative cytologic testing died or are alive with disease. We believe that therapy such as extended field irradiation can be given on the basis of these results.