Fine-needle aspiration cytology: its origin, development, and present status with special reference to a developing country, India

Abstract

Fine-needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) was performed on a large scale at Memorial Hospital, New York, during the 1930s, but during the ensuing years, it did not gain much encouragement in United States. The technique had a resurgence in Scandinavia during the 1950s and 1960s, where it flourished before spreading to other parts of the world. It had also a revival in the United States, which contributed enormously to this tool in each and every aspect. The status of FNA during 1966-2002 was assessed through review of MEDLINE search data on FNA and its correlation with World Bank website data on classification of countries. A total of 849 journals published 5,609 articles on FNA over a period of 37 years. Both the number of publishing journals and the number of published articles on FNA were low during the 1960s (3.5 +/- 0.58 and 4.0 +/- 0.82, respectively) and 1970s (20.3 +/- 14.72 and 25.0 +/- 20.54, respectively), but their number increased sharply from the 1980s onward (78.2 +/- 25.65 and 147.2 +/- 66.89, respectively, during the 1980s, 126.2 +/- 11.94 and 301.4 +/- 35.99, respectively, during the 1990s, and 113.3 +/- 36.46 and 287.3 +/- 85.93, respectively, during the 2000s). The difference between the decades of 1960s-2000s, with respect to the number of publishing journals and published articles, was highly significant (P < 0.0001). Only 90 (10.6%) of the journals were from the arena of pathology and its branches. The remaining journals belonged to various other disciplines of medicine; a small fraction were even from the veterinary sciences. Ten journals, including three in the field of cytopathology, published 2,448 (43.6%) of the total articles on FNA. During 1987-2002, 46 (29.7%) of the 155 developing nations published articles on FNA, whereas 28 (52.8%) of the developed (high-income economies) countries did so, the difference being highly significant (P = 0.0044). The total number of publications from high-income economies was 3,124 (195.3 per year), as opposed to 772 (48.3 per year) from the developing world. The number of articles published from the developing nations (16.8 +/- 52.21) was significantly lower as compared with that from the high-income economies (111.6 +/- 242.03) (P = 0.005). Except for infectious diseases, the high-income economies had a definite edge over the developing nations in the absolute number of publications from each and every site/organ. However, when the frequency of publications on various organs/sites was compared between the two groups, it was found that the number of articles from high-income economies was significantly higher with respect to breast diseases (P < 0.001) and pancreatic lesions (P = 0.0158), whereas the developing nations published more frequently on small round cell tumors (excluding exclusive reports on lymphoma) and infectious diseases (P < 0.001). In India, FNAC was first introduced during the early 1970s and spread to different parts through formal teaching under the postgraduate curriculum in pathology and by conducting workshops and continuing medical education program for pathologists, surgeons/physicians, and radiologists. FNAC is now practiced in all medical colleges, in big public sector hospitals, and even in private clinics and laboratories. The number of centers practicing FNAC increased sharply during 1980s, as evident from the response of 69 laboratories in various parts of India to a questionnaire. As of 1998, 55.9% of the laboratories performed >/=1,000 cases of FNA per year. In 46% of the centers, pathologists alone performed the FNAC, whereas in 51%, they performed it in collaboration with radiologists and surgeons. Disposable syringes and needles were used in all the centers, but syringe holders were used in only in 61% of centers. In 86% of laboratories, two or more routine stains were used, and one or more ancillary techniques on fine-needle aspirates were adopted in 72.5% centers. Of the 772 publications from the developing world during 1987-2002, India alone contributed to 374 (48.4%). During 1975-2002, 154 articles on FNA were published needles were used in all the centers, but syringe holders were used in only in 61% of centers. In 86% of laboratories, two or more routine stains were used, and one or more ancillary techniques on fine-needle aspirates were adopted in 72.5% centers. Of the 772 publications from the developing world during 1987-2002, India alone contributed to 374 (48.4%). During 1975-2002, 154 articles on FNA were published in 15 indexed Indian journals.