Do We Really Need FNB Core Needle To Obtain Endoscopic Ultrasound Guided Biopsy Of Pancreatic Adenocarcinoma? A Retrospective Study From A Single Center Experience

Aims Endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine-needle biopsy (EUS-FNB) has been suggested for obtaining tissue samples from pancreatic tumors. Many series have failed to demonstrate that EUS-FNB is more effective than EUS -FNA in diagnositc accuracy . Aim of this study was to evaluate the use of EUS-FNA needle to collect material for both cytologic and histologic examination.

Methods A total of 232 patients (119 men and 113 women) with pancreatic lesions were retrospectively evaluated. The same 22 Gauge needle Cook Medical was used in a first period between 2008 to 2014 in order to obtain only cytologic samples (group A), and in the second period, between 2014 to 2019 to collect both cytologic and histologic specimens (group B).

All aspirated material was collected immediately into liquid-based cytology tubes and the core tissue moved to formalin containing bottle. MOSE (macroscopically on-site evaluation) was assessed immediately after the collection.

Results Final diagnosis was pancreatic adenocarcinoma in 76/113 (68 %) patients in group A and 88/119 (74 %) in group B. Mean tumor size was 34.5 mm in group A and 35.4 mm in group B. The lesions were equally distributed in the two groups; in the group A 65 lesions (57 %) were located in head/uncinate and 48 (43 %) in the body/tail segments, whereas in group B 61 (51 %) lesions were located in head/uncinate and 58 (49 %) in body/tail.

Non diagnostic rate was 26 % (30/113) and 21 % (25/119) respectively in group A and group B. No statistical significant differences were reported in the final diagnostic accuracy. The median number of needle passes (n = 3) was the same in both groups.

Conclusions Our data suggest that use of FNA needle (22 gauge Cook) with an adequate number of passes, a MOSE determination of the samples and a correct management of the collected specimens, permits to obtain both FNA and FNB specimen collection.

Citation Orlando D, Assisi D, Forcella D et al. eP403 DO WE REALLY NEED FNB CORE NEEDLE TO OBTAIN ENDOSCOPIC ULTRASOUND GUIDED BIOPSY OF PANCREATIC ADENOCARCINOMA? A RETROSPECTIVE STUDY FROM A SINGLE CENTER EXPERIENCE. Endoscopy 2021; 53: S228.

Publication History

Article published online:
19 March 2021