Body-cavity fluid cytology -- General diagnostic criteria: benign versus malignant -- Types of malignancy based on conventional cytology and immunocytochemistry -- Major differential diagnoses -- Detection of the primary site of carcinomas -- Cerebrospinal fluid cytology -- Laboratory techniques -- Flow cytometry, immunoassays, and molecular techniques
Summary
Today, cytology of body cavity fluids is an integral part of cancer staging. A positive diagnosis indicates a high-stage (III or IV) cancer in a majority of instances. General pathologists and cytotechnologists rely on routine cytomorphologic criteria to help oncologists in their staging of cancer patients. The diagnostic clarity, however, is challenged by many false negatives and occasional false positive results. The former is usually followed by an unnecessary surgical procedure in the case of an under-staged cancer and the latter may prevent treatment of a potentially curable disease due
