Needle track seeding in renal mass biopsies.

A review and analysis of the literature demonstrates that needle track seeding in renal mass biopsy has been reported 16 times. This complication occurs almost exclusively among patients with papillary renal cell carcinoma. The incidence is associated with multiple punctures of the mass, the use of core needles of ≥20 gauge, and lack of a coaxial sheath. Needle tract seeding may be associated with tumor upstaging and a worse prognosis. Fine-needle aspiration has a significantly lower rate of needle track seeding compared with large core needle biopsy (>20-gauge needle). A more formalized risk-based system for interpreting renal mass fine-needle aspiration may be useful as clinicians choose among an increasing number of therapeutic options.

Cancer cytopathology. 2019 May 22 [Epub ahead of print]

Andrew A Renshaw, Alex Powell, Jorge Caso, Edwin W Gould

Department of Pathology, Miami Cancer Institute, Baptist Hospital of Miami, Baptist Health of South Florida Healthcare System, Miami, Florida., Interventional Radiology, Miami Cardiac and Vascular Institute, Miami, Florida., Department of Surgery, Miami Cancer Institute, Baptist Hospital of Miami, Baptist Health of South Florida Healthcare System, Miami, Florida.