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Research and Clinical Interests

Dr. Simsir has a strong interest and expertise in rapid and accurate diagnoses of superficial lumps and bumps (including breast, lymph nodes, thyroid, etc.) by a minimally invasive technique called "fine needle aspiration biopsy." In most cases, if the aspiration biopsy is diagnostic, more invasive procedures can be avoided. Her particular focus is on FNA biopsy of the breast and the thyroid gland. Other interests include the early detection of cervical cancer through Pap tests and HPV testing.

Selected Publications

Wang J, Simsir A, Mercado C, Cangiarella J. Can core biopsy reliably diagnose mucinous lesions of the breast? Am J Clin Pathol. 2007 Jan;127(1):1–4.

Simsir A, Ioffe O, Sun P, Elgert P, Cangiarella J, Levine PH. Effect of Bethesda 2001 on reporting of atypical squamous cells (ASC) with special emphasis on atypical squamous cells-cannot rule out high grade (ASC-H). Diagn Cytopathol. 2006 Jan;34(1):62-6. Cited in Pubmed; PMID 16355376.

Abati A, Simsir A. Breast fine needle aspiration biopsy: prevailing recommendations and contemporary practices. Clin Lab Med. 2005;25(4):631–54.

Simsir A, Elgert P, Carter W, Cangiarella J. Reporting endometrial cells in women 40 years and older: assessing the clinical usefulness of Bethesda 2001. Am J Clin Pathol. 2005;123(4):571–5.

Hwang S, Cangiarella J, Waisman J, Lee I, Simsir A. Cytologic diagnosis of invasive lobular carcinoma: Factors associated with false negative and equivocal diagnoses. Diagn Cytopathol. 2004;31(2):87–93.

Simsir A, Waisman J, Thorner K, Cangiarella J. Mammary lesions diagnosed as papillary by aspiration biopsy: 70 Cases with follow-up. Cancer. 2003 Jun 25;99(3):156–65. Cited in Pubmed; PMID 12811856.

Cangiarella J, Waisman J, Simsir A. Cytologic findings with histologic correlation in 43 cases of mammary intraductal adenocarcinoma diagnosed by aspiration biopsy. Acta Cytol. 2003;47(6):965–72.

Ventura K, Cangiarella J, Lee I, Moreira A, Waisman J, Simsir A. Aspiration biopsy of mammary lesions with abundant extracellular mucinous material. Review of 43 cases with surgical follow-up. Am J Clin Pathol. 2003;120(2):194–202.

Simsir A, Hwang S, Cangiarella J, Elgert P, Levine P, Sheffield MV, Roberson J, Talley L, Chhieng DC. Glandular cell atypia on Papanicolaou smears: Interobserver variability in the diagnosis and prediction of cell of origin. Cancer. 2003;99(6):323–30.

Simsir A, Brooks S, Cochran L, Bourquin P, Ioffe OB. Cervicovaginal Smear Abnormalities in Sexually Active Adolescents: Implications for Management. Acta Cytologica. 2002;46(2):271–6.

Cangiarella J, Waisman J, Shapiro RL, Simsir A. Cytologic Features of Tubular Adenocarcinoma of the Breast by Aspiration Biopsy. Diagnostic Cytopathology. 2001;25(5):311–5.

Khanna N, Brooks SE, Chen T, Simsir A, Gordon NJ, Taylor G. Human Papillomavirus Absence Predicts Normal Histopathologic Findings with Abnormal Papanicolaou Smears: A Study of a University-Based Inner City Population. Journal of Human Virology. 2001;4(5):283–7.

Selected Books

Ioffe OB, Simsir A, Silverberg S. Surgical Pathology and Cytopathology of the Female Genital Tract. In: Berek JS, Hacker NF, editors. Practical Gynecologic Oncology. 4th edition. Philadelphia: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins; 2004.

Organizational Associations

Member at Large (Executive Committee), Papanicolaou Society of Cytopathology; Education Development Committee, American Society of Cytopathology; United States and Canadian Academy of Pathologists

Hospital Affiliations

Tisch Hospital
Bellevue Hospital

© 2008 NYU Department of Pathology