Related Experiment Videos
Hypocellular bladder wash specimens and their clinical significance
1Department of Surgery, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York.
The Journal of Urology
|October 1, 1993
Summary
Hypocellular bladder wash specimens, defined as <1,000 cells, were found in 2.5% of cases. These specimens showed a lower cancer detection rate (30%) compared to the general population (52%).
Area of Science:
- Urology
- Cytopathology
- Oncology
Background:
- Bladder wash specimens are used for cytologic evaluation.
- Hypocellularity in specimens can impact diagnostic accuracy.
- Flow cytometry is a method used in analyzing these specimens.
Purpose of the Study:
- To define hypocellular bladder wash specimens.
- To determine the prevalence of hypocellular specimens.
- To assess the association between hypocellularity and bladder cancer detection.
Main Methods:
- Defined hypocellular specimens as containing less than 1,000 cells.
- Reviewed 5,676 bladder wash flow cytometry specimens collected between 1981 and 1990.
- Analyzed the cancer detection rates in hypocellular versus all specimens.
Main Results:
- 142 (2.5%) of specimens were hypocellular.
- 30% of patients with hypocellular specimens had documented carcinoma, versus 52% for all patients.
- No clear relationship was found between carcinoma stage/grade and specimen hypocellularity.
Conclusions:
- Hypocellular bladder wash specimens are infrequent but associated with a lower cancer detection rate.
- The cause of hypocellularity may relate to irrigation techniques.
- Further investigation into specimen collection methods is warranted.