title: The possible precancerous significance of abnormal cells in gastric cytology specimens: a follow-up study of 545 patients.
abstract: In a series of 545 patients without roentgenological and gastroscopical signs of gastric malignancy, the cytological finding was interpreted as normal (Papanicolaou I) in 351 patients and abnormal (Papanicolaou II-III) in 194 patients. In the abnormal group were included 48 patients with large nuclei and 11 patients with cytologically wrong positive smears (Papanicolaou IV-V), in whom x-ray examination, gastroscopy, and a follow-up study did not reveal any signs of gastric carcinoma. The two groups were collected under uniform principles and studied by the same methods. They were also comparable as to age and sex distribution. In a 15-year follow-up study it was found that 2 patients (0.6%) in the cytologically normal group and 5 (2.6%) in the abnormal group had died of gastric carcinoma. The difference was statistically significant. The 15-year death rate from gastric carcinoma in the cytologically abnormal group was statistically significantly higher than in the expected death rate in the general population of corresponding age and sex distribution.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011230:Precancerous Conditions / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D013270:Stomach / Q000473:pathology; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology