Cytologic Features and Distribution of Primary Sites of Malignant Cells in Body Cavity Fluids

Suh, Kang Suek; Lee, Chang Hun; Kim, Hyun Ok

Abstract

The authors reviewed 167 malignant effusions from 110 patients, of which the primary site was established on the basis of either biopsy or surgical resection of the primary neoplasm. Main factors analysed were the distribution of primary organs and the cytohistologic correlation of body cavity effusions. The 167 fluid specimens from 110 patients consisted of 90 cases(53.9%) of pleural, 68(40.7%) of peritoneal, and 9(5.4%) of pericardial origins. Histologically they consisted of 82 cases(74.5%) of adenocarcinoma, 8(7.3%) of malignant lymphoma, 6(5.5%) of squamous cell carcinoma, and 3(2.7%) of small cell carcinoma. The most common site among the primary lesions was the stomach in 25 cases(22.7%) followed by the lung in 21 (19.1%), ovary in 17(15.5%), and breast in 7(6.4%). As for the distribution of primary tumors in adenocarcinoma, the most common site was lung in 16 cases (48.5%) in pleural fluid and stomach in 22(48.9%) in peritoneal fluid. In pericardial effusions, all 5 cases were from the lung. As a whole, the cytologic findings of malignant effusion were fairly representative of histologic characteristics of primary lesions. Thus, when the primary lesion is unknown, careful evaluation of effusion cytology is presumed to be a helpful tool for tracing the primary tumor.