Abdominal fluid cytology in patients with gastrointestinal malignant lesions.

In a group of 76 patients with various gastrointestinal malignant lesions, we found that peritoneal washings contained tumor cells in 43% of patients with gastric cancer, 22% of those with pancreatic cancer, and 3% of those with colonic cancer. Aside from tumor site, we were unable to identify any criteria that would help to predict the presence of malignant cells in peritoneal fluid specimens. We found no malignant cells on cytology in patients with early localized cancer. The ease of obtaining such data, coupled with the fact that the test is inexpensive, makes cytologic assessment attractive. Furthermore, the results of cytology have been shown to bear a direct relationship to prognosis in some cancers and may serve as an indication for more intensive therapy. The results of sequential cytology tend to support the theory that tumor manipulation may be a source of intraperitoneal spread in certain tumors.