Published online Aug 25, 2015. doi: 10.4253/wjge.v7.i11.1014
Peer-review started: April 15, 2015
First decision: June 24, 2015
Revised: July 1, 2015
Accepted: July 29, 2015
Article in press: August 3, 2015
Published online: August 25, 2015
Processing time: 138 Days and 17.3 Hours
In the present review we have analyzed the clinical applications of endoscopic ultrasound-guided-fine-needle-aspiration (EUS-FNA) and the methodological aspects obtained by cell-block procedure (CBP) in the diagnostic approach to the gastrointestinal neoplastic pathology. CBP showed numerous advantages in comparison to the cytologic routine smears; in particular, better preservation of cell architecture, achievement of routine haematoxylin-eosin staining equivalent to histological slides and possibility to perform immunohistochemistry or molecular analyses represented the most evident reasons to choose this method. Moreover, by this approach, the differential diagnosis of solid gastrointestinal neoplasias may be more easily achieved and the background of contaminant non-neoplastic gastrointestinal avoided. Finally, biological samples collected by EUS-FNA CBP-assisted should be investigated in order to identify and quantify further potential molecular markers.
Core tip: Cell-block procedure (CBP) represents the most suitable complement in diagnostic cytopathology of many gastrointestinal lesions. Hence this method allows high quality morphological evaluation and immunocytochemical analyses. On this way, the differential diagnosis of solid gastrointestinal neoplasms may be more easily achieved and the background of contaminant non-neoplastic gastrointestinal avoided, with an evident gain compared to the traditional cytological techniques. In the present review, the application of CBP in gastrointestinal solid lesions approached by endoscopic ultrasound-guided-fine-needle-aspiration, the methodological aspects and the accuracy of this diagnostic process are analyzed and discussed.