Comparison of smear cytology with liquid-based cytology in pancreatic lesions: A systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND Endoscopic ultrasonography-guided fine-needle aspiration(EUS-FNA)is a safe and accurate technique to confirm the diagnosis of pancreatic cancers.Recently,numerous studies comparing the diagnostic efficacy of smear cytology(SC)and liquid-based cytology(LBC)for pancreatic lesions yielded mixed results.AIM To compare and identify the better cytology method for EUS-FNA in pancreatic lesions.METHODS A comprehensive search of PubMed,Embase,and Cochrane was undertaken through July 18,2020.The primary endpoint was diagnostic accuracy(sensitivity and specificity).Secondary outcomes included sample adequacy and post procedure complications.In addition,factors affecting diagnostic efficacy were discussed.RESULTS Data on a total of 1121 comparisons from 10 studies met the inclusion criteria.Pooled rates of sensitivity for SC and LBC were 78%(67%-87%)vs 75%(67%-81%),respectively.In any case,both SC and LBC exhibited a high specificity close to 100%.Inadequate samples more often appeared in LBC compared with SC.However,the LBC samples exhibited a better visual field than SC.Very few post procedure complications were observed.CONCLUSION Our data suggested that for EUS-FNA in pancreatic lesions(particularly solid lesions),SC with Rapid On-Site Evaluation represents a superior diagnostic technique.If Rapid On-Site Evaluation is unavailable,LBC may replace smears.The diagnostic accuracy of LBC depends on different LBC techniques.

Diagnostic value of liquid-based cytology and smear cytology in pancreatic endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine needle aspiration: A meta-analysis

BACKGROUND Smear cytology(SC)using endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine needle aspiration(EUS-FNA)is the established and traditional choice for diagnosing pancreatic lesions.Liquid-based cytology(LBC)is a novel alternative cytological method,however,the comparative diagnostic efficacy of LBC remains inconclusive.AIM To examine the diagnostic efficacy of LBC and SC for pancreatic specimens obtained through EUS-FNA via a systematic review and meta-analysis.METHODS A systematic literature search was performed using PubMed,EMBASE,the Cochrane Library,and Web of Science.The numbers of true positives,false positives,true negatives,and false negatives for each cytological test(LBC and CS)were extracted from the included studies.The pooled sensitivity and specificity and the area under the summary receiver operating characteristic curve(AUC)were calculated,and the AUC was compared by Tukey's multiple comparisons test.The quality of the included studies was assessed using the Quality Assessment of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies II tool.RESULTS A total of 1656 patients in eight studies were included.The pooled sensitivity and specificity and the AUC for LBC were 0.76(95%CI:0.72-0.79),1.00(95%CI:0.98-1.00),and 0.9174,respectively,for diagnosing pancreatic lesions.The pooled estimates for SC were as follows:Sensitivity,0.68(95%CI:0.64-0.71);specificity,0.99(95%CI:0.96-100.00);and AUC,0.9714.Similarly,the corresponding values for LBC combined with SC were 0.87(95%CI:0.84-0.90),0.99(95%CI:0.96-1.00),and 0.9894.Tukey’s multiple comparisons test was used to compare the sensitivities and AUCs of the three diagnostic methods;statistically significant differences were found between the three methods,and LBC combined with SC was superior to both LBC(P<0.05)and SC(P<0.05).The pooled sensitivity and AUC did not change significantly in the sensitivity analysis.CONCLUSION LBC may be sensitive than SC in the cytological diagnosis of pancreatic lesions,however,the superior diagnostic performance of their combination emphasizes their integrated usage in the clinical evaluation of pancreatic lesions.

Comparative Study of Cell Findings by Conventional Smear and Liquid-Based Cytology for Oral Exfoliative Cytology

Background: Liquid-based cytology (LBC) is a method of manufacturing cyto-diagnostic specimens. Improved accuracy is expected from standardizing specimen production and use of this method is rapidly spreading in oral cytology. On the other hand, LBC reportedly requires training to show peculiar cell findings compared to those of conventional smear cytology (CVC). Few studies have compared detailed cell findings for oral CVC and LBC. Objectives: The aim of this study was to compare cytological findings between CVC and LBC using cytomorphological image analysis. Materials and Methods: Cytological specimens were collected from 20 patients (negative for squamous neoplasia in 10, dysplasia in 5, squamous cell carcinoma in 5) and 5 controls of the tongue between January 2017 and December 2018. Two different preparation techniques were investigated cytomorphologically for CVC and LBC (BD CytorichTM). Results: LBC showed significantly higher cell numbers than CVC for all lesions. LBC-to-CVC ratio ranged from 9.52 (hyperkeratosis) to 1.87 (deep cells in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC)). Nuclear area of normal, hyperkeratosis, and inflammation were significantly higher in LBC than those of CVC. Hyperchromasia was significantly more frequent with CVC than with LBC for hyperkeratosis, inflammation, dysplasia and OSCC. There was no significant difference in circularity between CVC and LBC among all lesions. Conclusion: Only one cytomorphological disadvantage was seen with LBC, in the form of decreased hyperchromasia. Further clarification of the advantages and disadvantages of LBC is needed, including management of precision and screening practices.

A Case of Ewing’s Sarcoma Arising in the Cervical Spine with an Elevation of Serum ProGRP

We experienced a case of small, round-cell malignant neoplasm diagnosed by touch smear cytology and histopathology when an open biopsy was performed in a 50-year-old Japanese woman. She was suspected of having a cervical spine tumor after surgery for cervical spine foraminal stenosis. After consent, the cervical spine tumor histologically diagnosed by an open biopsy was confirmed to be Ewing sarcoma (EWS) by genetic testing. EWS belongs to a group of small, round-cell tumors that are morphologically similar and often difficult to differentiate. After the open biopsy, the present patient received radiotherapy, and her plasma level of Pro-Gastrin-Releasing-Peptide was decreased (217.2 pg/ml before surgery to 30.3 pg/ml;reference value: 0 - 80 pg/ml). We herein report the process for making the final diagnosis by focusing on the intraoperative cytology, histopathology, and immunohistochemical findings. Our diagnosis was validated by karyotyping and a fluorescence in-situ hybridization analysis.