Introduction: Upper gastrointestinal tract lesions are the leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Upper gastrointestinal symptoms include dysphagia, vomiting, anorexia, retrosternal pain, weight loss and mass abdomen and patients may present with visible red and white mucosal lesions, ulcers, polypoidal or ulcerative growth in upper gastrointestinal tract (GIT)

Aims and objectives: To evaluate the utility of endoscopic brush cytology in diagnosing upper gastrointestinal malignancies, to compare endoscopic brush cytology with endoscopy biopsy and to assess the utility of endoscopic brush cytology as an adjunct to endoscopic biopsy in diagnosis of upper gastrointestinal malignancies.

Material and methods: The present prospective study was conducted in the Department of Pathology in collaboration with Department of Gastroenterology at Pt. B.D. Sharma PGIMS, Rohtak. A total of fifty patients suspected of having upper gastrointestinal malignancies formed the study group.

Results: Although endoscopic biopsies are an established gold standard for diagnosing gastrointestinal malignancies but brush cytology can be used as an accurate diagnostic adjunct to biopsy in diagnosis of cancer and an important screening technique for detecting upper gastrointestinal malignancy in high risk population and in cases where difficulty is encountered in obtaining adequate tissue for histopathological examination.