[Prognostic analysis of malignant peritoneal effusions from gastric cancer]

The prognosis of 135 cases with malignant peritoneal effusion from gastric cancer was analyzed clinically and cytologically. The histologic type of the primary gastric cancer or therapeutic differences had no significant influence on the prognosis. Previous gastrectomy or absence of distant metastases had no marked effect on survival. The formation of large clusters of cancer cells on smear preparations of peritoneal effusion was interpreted as a sign of good prognosis. The cancer cell number and the presence of lymphocytes on smear preparations bore no relationship to prognosis.