Correlation of cytopathology with flow cytometry and histopathology for the diagnosis of hematologic malignancies in young adults presenting with cervical lymphadenopathy

Background

Fine‐needle aspiration (FNA) is frequently utilized in the diagnostic workup of lymphadenopathy. We evaluated the correlation of cytopathology with flow cytometry and tissue biopsy results and assessed the prevalence of specific malignancies in young adults presenting with cervical lymphadenopathy.

Methods

Database was searched for cervical lymph node FNA performed by a cytopathologist in patients aged 18‐30 years from 2005 to 2017.

Results

Cervical lymph node FNA was performed on 48 patients without prior history of malignancy. Nineteen patients had cytology results only, of which all were interpreted as benign reactive lymph node. None developed subsequent malignancies. The remaining 29 patients had cytology with flow cytometry and/or tissue biopsy results. A benign reactive cytology diagnosis was rendered in 18 (62%) cases, of which 11 had concordant diagnosis on flow cytometry, 2 had tissue biopsy, and 3 had both. Eleven (38%) patients had cytology results concerning for a hematologic malignancy, of which 7 were confirmed by flow cytometry and 3 by both flow cytometry and tissue biopsy. Cervical lymph node FNA has 94.1% sensitivity, 83.3% specificity, 88.9% positive predictive value, and 90.9% negative predictive value. The most common hematologic malignancy in our young adult population presenting with cervical lymphadenopathy was Hodgkin lymphoma.

Conclusion

FNA is a useful first‐line diagnostic procedure for assessing cervical lymphadenopathy in young adults to allow for better triage of specimens for flow cytometry and/or tissue biopsy concerning for a hematologic malignancy and potentially avoid invasive excisional biopsy in a proportion of cases.

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