Cytogenetic characterization of Ewing tumors using fine needle aspiration samples

Chromosome banding analysis of cells from fine-needle aspiration biopsy samples from soft tissue and bone tumors: is it clinically meaningful?

“…The only group of tumors that showed a notably higher fraction of abnormal karyotypes was Ewing sarcoma/primitive neuroectodermal tumors; an abnormal karyotype was found in 6, including one case with a single abnormal cell, of the 11 FNA samples. This finding is in agreement with previous data [8]. The group that showed the lowest success rate and the highest failure rate was the adipose tissue tumors.…”

“…Most of the cytogenetic information on bone and soft tissue tumors, presently amounting to data on close to 3,000 cases [5], comes from studies on ST biopsies, and very few attempts have been made to evaluate in larger series the possibility to obtain tumor karyotypes from needle biopsies [6][7][8]. In the present study, we have assessed the results from G-banding analysis of 114 FNA biopsies, and compare the results with those from the corresponding ST biopsies.…”

The usefulness of cytogenetic analysis in fine needle aspirates for the histologic subtyping of sarcomas

“…In the literature, it appears that the best results for FNAB and cytogenetic analysis have been obtained in Ewing's sarcomas. 3,4 We were not able to confirm cytogenetic abnormalities among any of our lowgrade sarcomas (eg myxoid liposarcoma, myxoid chondrosarcoma, and atypical lipoma), but perhaps newer molecular technologies will overcome the technical limitations of traditional karyotype in these cases.…”

“…7 However, the literature clearly demonstrates that one or more FNAB passes may obtain adequate material for immunocytochemistry (cell block), conventional cytogenetic analysis, flow cytometry and image analysis, and even research purposes, with informed consent of the patient. 1,3,4,8,9 Other groups of investigators have successfully used polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification techniques on archival FNAB cytologic smears, confirming the EWS/FLI-1 fusion product of Ewing's sarcoma, the SYT/SSX fusion product of synovial sarcoma, and the detection of Herpesvirus-8 in cases of Kaposi's sarcoma. [10][11][12] For the detection of the SYT/SSX fusion transcript by reverse transcriptase PCR, Inagaki et al 11 reported a higher sensitivity among cytologic samples (91%) compared to more traditional frozen biopsy materials (75%).…”

“…However, its reported usefulness in fine needle aspiration biopsy specimens (FNAB) is limited to rare series and isolated case reports, usually documented in clinical settings outside of the US. [1][2][3][4][5] Not surprisingly, in our experience, many pathologists remain skeptical of the utility of FNAB for the diagnosis of sarcomas, and some appear unaware that such ancillary techniques as flow cytometry, karyotype, and fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) may be successfully performed in routine clinical practice. We present herein our experience with the utility of FNAB and cytogenetic analysis as the initial diagnostic procedure of 24 patients.…”