Rectal palpation and transrectal fine needle aspiration of the prostate in the monitoring of prostate cancer: a study of 59 patients during treatment with estramustine phosphate or estrogens

The continuing role of fine-needle aspiration of the prostate gland into the 21st century: A tribute to Torsten Löwhagen

A brief review of the history of transrectal fine-needle aspiration (FNA) of the prostate gland is reported in this article; the authors'experience of FNA during the last 20 yr is described also. Despite the worldwide acceptance of the thin-needle core approach, the use of transrectal FNA of palpable abnormalities of the prostate still is advocated because it is cheaper, faster, easier to perform, and results in lower morbidity than any other technique so far developed. High sensitivity, specificity, and efficacy account for its reliability. Appropriate training in performing transrectal FNA of the prostate and in interpreting the smears is, of course, essential. Transrectal FNA should be the initial diagnostic procedure for suspected prostatic cancer and will continue to be a useful diagnostic tool in the 21st century.

Pitfalls and infrequent findings in fine-needle aspiration of the prostate gland

Based on the experience accumulated over two decades and in more than 7,000 transrectal fine-needle aspirations (FNAs) of the prostate gland, several benign and malignant unusual cytologic findings are described. Infrequent benign cytologic findings and possible pitfalls are atrophic prostatic epithelium, squamous metaplasia, transitional cells, granulomatous prostatitis, seminal vesicle epithelium, ganglion cells, lubricant artifacts, and treatment effects. Infrequent variants of carcinoma are foamy-cell carcinoma, prostatic duct adenocarcinoma, mucinous adenocarcinoma, transitional-cell carcinoma, small-cell carcinoma, squamous-cell carcinoma of the prostate, metastatic solid tumor within the prostate, and mesenchymal tumors. Cytopathologists must be able to diagnose these variants of prostate adenocarcinoma because on most occasions the variants imply a worse clinical prognosis. Appropriate training is essential to achieve success in this field of cytopathology. FNA of the prostate provides in a matter of minutes useful information concerning clinical management, prognosis, and treatment of patients.