Metastatic cutaneous and subcutaneous nodules: Diagnosis by Fine Needle Aspiration Cytology

Introduction: Metastatic cutaneous and subcutaneous nodules are rare and late manifestation of an underlying malignancy. They indicate a poor prognosis and require an early diagnosis to offer some chance of survival. Fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) is accurate and useful modality in early diagnosis of these lesions. Aim of this study is to find out efficacy of FNAC as an alternative to biopsies in early detection of skin metastases so as to avoid unnecessary surgical intervention. Materials and Methods: The study was conducted from January 2013 to December2015 in which 170 patients of all sexes and ages with palpable skin nodules, underwent FNAC. Of these, 16 cases diagnosed as metastatic cutaneous and subcutaneous nodules were evaluated and included in the study. Results: Out of 16 cases of cutaneous metastases, 8 were males and 8 females with age range between 31-76years. 14 of the 16 patients presented with solitary nodules while only 2 patients had multiple nodules. Primary was known in 13 cases and 3 cases had an unknown primary. Abdomen was commonest site of metastases followed by chest wall. Most common cytomorphological type observed in metastatic skin nodules was adenocarcinoma. Conclusion: FNAC is a reliable, minimally invasive and a quick diagnostic method and can be used as an alternative to biopsies for early recognition of cutaneous metastases. Early diagnosis of these lesions may help in deciding mode of treatment and prolonging the survival of patient.