Diagnostic assessment of sputum cytology by saccomanno method and epithelial membrane antigen staining by immunoperoxidase method

Abstract

In this study a direct comparison was made between the two methods of cytopreparation of sputum, the Saccomanno method and the direct, pick and smear method on 60 cases. The cases which were diagnosed as dysplasias or malignancies were subjected for Epithetial Membrance Antigen staining. On comparing the two methods the adequacy rate of sputum by saccomanno method was 96.66 per cent and where as that of pick smear method was 88.33 per cent. 30 cases were positive for dysplastic and malignant cells on Saccomanno preparation and 24 on direct method. The commonest type of malignancy in our study was squamous cell carcinoma 15 (50%) followed by adenocarcinoma. Out of these 15 cases of squamous cell carcinomas, the direct method could diagnose only 6 cases as squamous cell carcinoma, 6 were diagnosed as dysplasias and 3 were inadequate. One case of squamous metaplasia, one case of dysplasia and 2 cases of adenocarcinoma were negative on direct method, but diagnosed on Saccomanno method of sputum cytology. When subjected to EMA, all cases of dysplasias and malignancies were positive. Thus EMA couid be applied to the sputum smears with dysplasias to rule out the chances of patient going in for malignancy and also for confirmation of malignancy.