Efficacy of fine needle aspirate biopsy in diagnosis of clinically suspected nasopharyngeal carcinoma in patients with cervical lymphadenopathy

Abstract

Nasopharyngeal carcinoma is the most common adult head and neck cancer seen in Kenyan hospitals and a common cause of cervical lymph node malignant diseases in Kenyan adults. The objective of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of fine needle aspiration biopsy (F AB) in diagnosis of clinically suspected nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) in patients with cervical lymphadenopathy It was a descriptive cross-sectional study. The study was done in Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH), Department of Ear, Nose and Throat, Head and Neck Surgery (ENT-HNS). A total of 68 patients clinically suspected to be suffering from NPC with metastasis to the cervical Iymphnodes were done FNAB of the nodes for cytology and nasopharyngoscopic biopsy for paraffin section histology The results were compared to find out the degree of correlation of the results from the two procedures. Conclusion was that the efficacy of FNAB of cervical lymph node in this study was high with sensitivitv 93.9%. specificity 100% in diagnosis of clinically suspected NPC with cervical lymphnode metastasis and took a shorter time than histology to obtain the results. Therefore it is an invaluable tool to aid ENT surgeons and other medical service providers In diagnosis and manavement of clinically suspected NPC with cervical metastasis .