Confirmation of metastases by fine needle aspiration biopsy in patients with gynecologic malignancies.

Fine needle aspirations (FNA) were performed on 48 patients treated for gynecologic malignancies and suspected of having recurrence of their disease. The suspected sites of metastases were peripheral lymph nodes (38 patients) and the retroperitoneal region (10 patients). Metastdtic tumors were detected in 22 out of the 48 patients (45%) by FNA, with 9 patients having additional confirmation by excisional biopsies. Of the remaining patients, 9 had unsatisfactory specimens, and 2 had false-negative results. The report emphasizes the efficacy of this procedure, especially when positive results are obtained. Open biopsy can be restricted to those patients with negative or unsatisfactory results and a high clinical suspicion of metastasis.