Improvement of cellularity on cell block preparations using the so-called tissue coagulum clot method during endobronchial ultrasound-guided transbronchial fine-needle aspiration.

Background: Cell block (CB) preparation during the endobronchial ultrasound-guided transbronchial fine-needle aspiration (EBUS-TBNA) procedure plays an important role in the diagnosis of lung cancer and recovery of cellular material for molecular characterization of the tumor. However, the efficiency of the conventional method of CB preparation is suboptimal.

Methods: In the current study, the "tissue coagulum clot" cell block (TCC-CB) method was used to prepare the CBs and its efficiency was compared with that of the conventional saline rinse cell block (NR-CB) method.

Cytology of endobronchial ultrasound-guided transbronchial needle aspiration versus conventional transbronchial needle aspiration.

Background: Conventional endoscopic transbronchial needle aspiration (TBNA) is a common procedure used to obtain samples for diagnosing and staging lung lesions. Recently, endobronchial ultrasound-guided transbronchial needle aspiration (EBUS-TBNA) has been developed and increasingly used by clinicians. Clinical data suggest that EBUS-TBNA has higher sensitivity and specificity than conventional TBNA in staging lung cancers.

Exfoliative sputum cytology of cancers metastatic to the lung.

Although largely replaced by fine-needle aspiration (FNA) and bronchoscopy, cytological examination of sputum for exfoliated malignant cells still is considered a valuable initial diagnostic test in patients presenting with a lung mass. Thirty-five cases of secondary/metastatic tumors involving the lung and diagnosed on sputum were retrospectively reviewed from our cytopathology files for a period of 22 yr (1980-2001). Clinical history and the relevant histopathological material were examined and correlated with the cytological findings.

Tissue diagnosis of suspected lung cancer: selecting between bronchoscopy, transthoracic needle aspiration, and resectional biopsy.

In pursuing a tissue diagnosis of a suspected lung cancer, there is a range of procedures to choose from. The principal goals are ideally to diagnose and pathologically stage the patient's lung cancer at the same time, preferably by using the safest, least invasive, and least costly tests. If there is clinical or radiographic evidence of extrapulmonary spread of disease, including supraclavicular N3 nodal involvement or a malignant pleural effusion, then radiology-guided or open biopsy will confirm tumor cell type and stage the patient as unresectable.