[The value of fine-needle aspiration cytology in the after-care of malignant melanoma].

In recent years, we have carried out 146 fine-needle aspiration cytologies (FNAC) for diagnostic clarification of putative metastases from melanomas. The cytodiagnostic appraisal was based on general criteria for the malignancy of tumour cells as well as on particular melanoma-specific findings. Different cell variants can be differentiated in cytological terms. Validation of the cytological diagnoses was possible in 118 of the 123 evaluable FNAC, either by histological examination of the subsequently excised lesions or on the basis of the further clinical progress observed. Statistical evaluation revealed a sensitivity of 93.8% for this method and a specificity of 100%. In our experience, FNAC is thus a diagnostic method that is of great value in the rapid and reliable diagnosis of suspected metastatic lesions in the clinical follow-up of melanoma patients.