[Experiences in gastrointestinal cytology in Steiermark country (author's transl)]

In Steiermark out of 150 000 smears per annum 1 percent concern gastrointestinal cytology. The material consists in brush smears of stomach and rectum, aspiration biopsy of pancreas and secretions from ERCP. In 80% of gastric brush smears a histologic diagnosis was available for comparison. 17% of gastric smears could not be evaluated, 3.5% were false positive and 4% false negative. Percentage of carcinomas amounted 25%. Age of cancer patients was 30--88 years with a peak between 60 and 65 years. 55% of cancers were inoperable. Only 4% were early cancers. 10% of brush biopsies from rectum and colon were normal, 25% were chronic ulcerative nonspecific proctitis, 15% papillous polyps and 35% carcinoma. Fine needle biopsies of pancreas were performed during operation and evaluated as urgent intraoperative diagnostic. 7 of 25 cases were carcinoma. ERCP is performed mainly in cholostatic icterus. Proportion of carcinoma was 9.1%.