Cytologic diagnosis of metastatic germ-cell tumors

The clinical, pathologic and cytologic findings were correlated in 86 cases of metastatic germ-cell tumors. Although the cytologic features of malignant germ-cell tumors are sufficiently characteristic to make specific cytologic diagnosis possible, the diagnostic accuracy can be augmented with cytochemical stains. It was found that due to recent advances in therapy, cytologic detection of metastases does not necessarily indicate a fatal outcome.