Cytological and cytogenetical analysis of thoracic duct lymph in patients with pulmonary carcinomas

Seven patients with squamous cell carcinomas of the lung and nodular metastases underwent Daniels' biopsy and cannulation of the thoracic duct. Lymph specimens obtained by aspiration the day after catheter insertion were examined by cytologic and cytogenetical techniques, including chromosome banding methods. In five of the seven cases maligant cells could be detected by karyotype analysis, whereas standard cytologic examinations yielded no positive diagnoses. This indicates that chromosome analysis is applicable as a diagnostic tool in lymph fluid.