EUS-FNA for the detection of left adrenal metastasis in patients with lung cancer
LUNGC
2011
310--315
O. Schuurbiers, K. Tournoy, H. Schoppers, B. Dijkman, H. Timmers, L. de Geus-Oei, J. Grefte, K. Rabe, P. Dekhuijzen, H. van der Heijden and J. Annema
In patients with lung cancer, enlarged or (18)Fluoro-deoxyglucose positron emission tomography ((18)FDG-PET) positive left adrenal glands are suspected for distant metastases and require tissue confirmation for a definitive assessment. The aim of this study was to assess the sensitivity of endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration (EUS-FNA) for left adrenal metastases in lung cancer patients with a suspect adrenal gland based on imaging. EUS-FNA findings of patients with (suspected) lung cancer and CT enlarged or (18)FDG-PET positive left adrenal glands were retrospectively evaluated. In the absence of metastases at EUS, clinical and radiological follow-up was obtained. In 85 patients, EUS-FNA demonstrated left adrenal metastases of lung cancer in 53 (62\%), benign adrenal tissue in 25 (29\%), a metastasis from colon carcinoma in 1 (1\%) and a primary adrenocortical carcinoma in 1 (1\%) patient. In five patients (5.9\%), the aspirates contained non-representative material. EUS outcomes were false negative in two patients. Sensitivity and negative predictive value (NPV) for EUS-FNA of the left adrenal gland were at least 86\% (95\% CI 74-93\%) and 70\% (95\% CI 50-85\%). No complications occurred. EUS-FNA is a sensitive, safe and minimally invasive technique to provide tissue proof of left adrenal metastases in patients with (suspected) lung cancer and enlarged or (18)FDG-PET positive adrenal glands. Therefore, EUS-FNA qualifies as the staging test of choice for patients with lung cancer with suspected left adrenal metastases.