Comparison of brush before biopsy, suction cytology, brush after biopsy and endoscopic biopsy in the diagnosis of carcinoma oesophagus.

A study was conducted on 40 patients of carcinoma oesophagus to compare the diagnostic yield of brush biopsy, suction cytology, brush after biopsy and endoscopic biopsy. The positive yield with brush before biopsy was 87.5%, with suction cytology 90%, with brush after biopsy 100% and with endoscopic biopsy 90%. Difference in the yield of brush after biopsy compared to other modalities was statistically insignificant (P > 0.05). However, the quantitative yield of the material was significantly high (P < 0.05) in the brush after biopsy compared to brush before biopsy. Of these three cytological modalities brush after biopsy appears to be the cytological technique of choice to be used as an adjunct to endoscopic biopsy.