The Role of Fine-Needle Aspiration Cytology in the Diagnosis of Basal Cell Carcinoma

Background/Aims. Basal cell carcinoma (BCC) is the most common malignant tumor of the skin in humans. The diagnosis of BCC is made clinically, which can then be confirmed microscopically. Biopsy or surgical excision of the lesion provides the specimen for histopathological examination, which is the mainstay for diagnosis. Fine-needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) on the other hand is an even simpler procedure, which can provide accurate diagnosis to confirm or exclude the malignancy. Methods. Here, we present our experience on the role of FNAC in diagnosing BCC. We were able to recruit 37 patients, of which 35 had BCC. Both FNAC and biopsy were obtained and then interpreted independently of one another. Results. Cytology correlated with histopathology in all cases except for 2 in which the yield was deemed inadequate. The sensitivity and specificity of fine-needle aspiration cytology for basal cell carcinoma were 94.3% and 100%, respectively. Conclusions. We, therefore, recommend this technique for the initial evaluation of a patient with suspected BCC or in cases of recurrence. The technique is cheap, quick, less invasive, and highly accurate for the diagnosis of BCC. The limitation of the technique is low yield in some of the cases.