Fine Needle Aspiration Cytology of Epithelial Non-Odontogenic Orofacial Tumours

Abstract

Objective: FNAC is a method of obtaining material for cytopathologic evaluation. This study was aimed at determining the FNAC features of epithelial non-odontogenic orofacial tumours and the usefulness of FNAC for initial tumour assessment.

Methods: This was a prospective study performed on patients with suspicious orofacial non- odontogenic tumours in the Departments of Oral and maxillofacial Surgery and Oral Pathology & Medicine, University of Benin Teaching Hospital over a nine-month period. FNAC procedure was performed using 21-gauge needle (0.8mm diameter) and a 5ml or 10ml syringe. Aspirates were smeared on glass slides, fixed and stained with Hematoxylin and Eosin, Giemsa and Papanicolaou. Cytopathologic reviews of the smears were done and cytopathologic features documented. Surgical biopsy was also done for histopathologic confirmatory diagnosis. The tumours of epithelial origin were selected for the study.

Results: There were 14(35%) histopathologically diagnosed epithelial tumours consisting of squamous cell carcinoma (n=4, 28.6%), Mucoepidermoid carcinoma (n=6, 42.9%), Adenoid cystic carcinoma (n=1, 7.1%), Acini cell carcinoma (n=1, 7.1%), Epimyoepithelial carcinoma (n=1, 7.14%) and Pleomorphic salivary adenoma (n=1, 7.1%). The 14 cases had general cytopathologic diagnosis, either benign or malignant in nature. Those with specific definitive cytopathological diagnoses were squamous cell carcinoma (n=4, 100%) and mucoepidermoid carcinoma (n=2, 33.3%).

Conclusion: This study demonstrates the essential cytopathologic features following FNAC of epithelial non-odontogenic orofacial tumours useful in cytopathologic diagnosis. FNAC is recommended for use in the early pre-operative assessment of epithelial non-odontogenic tumours of the orofacial region.

Keywords: FNAC, orofacial, epithelial tumours, diagnosis