Aspiration biopsy of intrapelvic metastases of cervical carcinoma

The findings at aspiration biopsy of palpable intrapelvic lesions were reviewed in 316 patients who had previously received radiation therapy for carcinoma of the uterine cervix. A cytologic diagnosis of malignant spread had been made in 55 cases. The crude five-year survival rate in these patients was 4 per cent, as compared with 51 per cent among the patients who received a negative cytologic report. Aspiration biopsy was positive in only about 48 per cent of the patients in whom follow-up observations suggested intrapelvic spread of carcinoma. The factors that may have influenced the diagnostic accuracy are discussed. Use of a screw (0.5 mm thick) technique instead of the 22-gauge needle may enhance the diagnostic accuracy.