Characteristics of cancer cells in gastrointestinal lavage specimens

Cancer cells from the effluent stools resulting from oral gastrointestinal lavage were analyzed. Cellular preparation were done by cytocentrifugation. The method produced cellular preparations that contained from none to 205 cells per slide; the average number was 28. Single cells predominated over groups. The average number of single cells was 13, while three groups were identified on the average slide. The cells were small and averaged 13 microns in diameter and 149 microns 2 in area. The nuclei averaged 8 microns in diameter and 61 microns 2 in area. The nuclear chromatin pattern varied from dense to clumped to vesicular, with the clumped pattern predominating. The technique is simple and easily adaptable and holds promise as a screening technique for gastrointestinal cancer.