Cytologic assessment of metastatic ovarian carcinoma

Significance of routine cytologic examination in the diagnosis of metastatic ovarian carcinoma was assessed. Twenty-one cases of metastatic carcinoma of the ovary were examined both pathologically and cytologically. Primary sites of the carcinoma were the stomach, breast, large bowel and uterine corpus. Cytology specimens were taken from the portio, endocervix and endometrium of the uterus, ascites and vaginal surgical stump. Malignant cells were detected in the samples from the portio, endocervix and endometrium in two, three and eight cases, respectively. One of the portio and endocervix and two of the endometrial specimens indicated the cases to be from endometrial primary sites. Primary sites of the remaining cases were the stomach and breast. Preoperative and intraoperative cytology of ascites were done in 16 cases and positive results were obtained in 11 cases. Postoperative recurrence was found cytologically in the surgical stump and ascites in two cases. Preoperative routine cytology of the uterus is considered to have diagnostic potential and ascite cytology to be an accurate index of intra-peritoneal spread in the case of metastatic ovarian carcinoma.