Accuracy of fine needle aspiration cytology in the preoperative diagnosis of malignant non-odontogenic tumors of the orofacial region.

BACKGROUND: This study aims to determine the association between preoperative cytopathological diagnosis and the histopathological diagnosis of orofacial non-odontogenic tumors. It is also, to determine the sensitivity, specificity and accuracy of fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) in the preoperative diagnosis of orofacial malignant non-odontogenic tumors in a Nigerian population. METHODS: A 9-month prospective study in which preoperative FNAC followed by open biopsy for confirmatory histopathological evaluation was performed for consenting patients with orofacial swellings. Patients histopathologically diagnosed as non-odontogenic tumors were selected for the study. RESULTS: There were 40 (83.3%) histopathologically diagnosed non-odontogenic tumors. The female to male ratio was 1.7:1 and the patients' mean age was 36 + 21.9 years. The mandible (n = 4, 10.0%) and the preauricular area (n = 4, 10.0%) were the most common sites affected. The cytopathological diagnosis showed 28 (70.0%) of the lesions were malignant, 7 (17.5%) were benign neoplasms and 5 (12.5%) were reactive/inflammatory swellings. The histopathological diagnosis was predominantly malignant (n = 29, 72.5%), consisting mostly of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (n = 12, 30.0%). There was significant association (P = .000) between cytopathological diagnosis and histopathological diagnosis of the malignant orofacial non-odontogenic tumors. The sensitivity of FNAC to detect malignant orofacial nonodontogenic tumors was 93.1%, the specificity was 90.9%, the positive predictive value was 96.4%, the negative predictive values was 83.3% and the accuracy was 92.5%. CONCLUSION: The accuracy of FNAC in the diagnosis of orofacial malignant non-odontogenic orofacial tumors is high and hence recommended as a routine preoperative diagnostic tool.

A study on the clinical indicators in the diagnosis of orofacial nonodontogenic tumors.

OBJECTIVE: This study aims to determine the clinical features which are helpful as significant indicators in the diagnosis of malignant and nonmalignant nonodontogenic orofacial tumors. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This was a prospective study performed on patients with swellings in the oral and maxillofacial region clinically suspicious of being tumors of nonodontogenic origin in a Nigerian Tertiary Health Institution. The statistical variables that were analyzed included patients' resume, clinical and radiological features as well as the histopathological diagnosis of the lesions. The level of significance was set at P < 0.05. Inferential analysis was done using Student's t-test, Chi-square, binary logistic regression, and adjusted odds ratio as appropriate. RESULTS: There were forty patients histopathologically diagnosed as nonodontogenic tumors of the orofacial region. Twenty-five (62.5%) were females and 15 (37.5%) were males with mean age of 36 ± 21.9 years. Histopathological features showed three different categories of the lesions: Reactive and benign (nonmalignant) and the malignant lesions. Lymphadenopathy (P = 0.035) and nonmobility of the swellings (P = 0.029) were significant clinical indicators that were strongly associated with histological diagnosis of the malignant nonodontogenic tumors. CONCLUSION: This study showed that the nonodontogenic tumors occurred mostly in younger patients with a female preponderance. The mandible and the preauricular region were the most common sites. Lymphadenopathy and nonmobility of the swellings were strong clinical indicators for the diagnosis of the malignant nonodontogenic tumors.