Peritoneal washing cytology: a retrospective analysis of 175 gynaecological patients

Accurate staging is the basis for optimal therapy in the management of the gynaecological cancer patient and, in recent years, peritoneal washings are one of the techniques used to determine this, both at the initial and subsequent laparotomies. Two hundred and four peritoneal washes were obtained from 175 patients during a 5-year period. Fifteen cases of histologically proven intraperitoneal tumour were confirmed in 11 cases by periotoneal cytology at initial operation, a sensitivity of 73%. At second-look laparotomy, 3 of 9 histologically proven malignancies were confirmed by cytology, a sensitivity of 33%. One false positive diagnosis was made in the series. Procedures to avoid both false-positive and false-negative diagnoses by the clinician and the laboratory are discussed, and a review of the literatue is provided.