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Tumour cell frequency in pleural lavage in cases with stage I epidermoid lung cancer with no visceral pleural involvement.

Oguzkaya F, Akçali Y, Bilgin M, Haberal A, Akgün H

Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, Erciyes University Medical Faculty, Kayseri, Turkey. foguzkaya@erciyes.edu.tr

BACKGROUND: The presence of tumour cells in the pleural lavage of lung cancer patients with no malignant pleural effusion is a negative prognosticator. In the present study we aimed to determine the lowest frequency of positive pleural lavage in lung cancer. METHODS: The study included 26 consecutive patients who underwent thoracotomy for curative resection for Stage I epidermoid lung cancer. The cases had neither visceral pleural involvement nor obstructive pneumopathy. The patients were applied pleural lavage cytology immediately after thoracotomy. RESULTS: The frequency of malignant cells in pleural lavage was 7.7% (Stage IA, n = 1, and IB, n = 1). CONCLUSION: Our series, in which we predicted the lowest probability of the presence of tumour cells in pleural lavage, had such a frequency of positive tumour cells that should'nt be neglected. The present study concluded that pleural lavage cytology before pulmonary resection should routinely be performed in 'all' lung cancers and that pleural lavage cytology may also be included in the current staging system.

Published 3 June 2005 in ANZ J Surg, 75(5): 300-1.
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