Carcinoma of the liver: cytopathologic diagnosis

Primary cancer of the liver is a rare disease, especially in countries with temperate climates. It is reported to be found in only 0.3% of all autopsies in these countries. An exact diagnosis is not always easy, especially in the elderly. In three aged patients, cytologic examination of material obtained from the liver by aspiration after puncture with a thin needle, indicated the diagnosis. Cytologic examination of aspirated liver tissue, although it can never be a substitute for biopsy, may be very useful not only in diagnosis but in monitoring the treatment of obstructive jaundice in elderly patients.